The Dark Night of the Soul
by Kendoka Girl
Summary: Book IV The Team travels to Korriban to complete the quest, but they are intercepted. Carth and Aerin rush headlong to face their destinies. Bastila confronts her demons and the fate of the Republic hangs in the balance.
1. To Sit in Darkness

**To Sit in Darkness**

_To sit in darkness here,  
__Hatching vain empires.  
__John Milton – Paradise Lost_

**Coruscant – The Recent Past**

The heart of the Republic was gripped in fear. The massive Senate chamber on Coruscant was filled with the murmurs of panicked bureaucrats. Beneath the high, vaulted ceiling, senators and councilmen, dressed in elaborate robes, paced about, wailing and waving their hands.

"Revan has attacked the Republic!" they cried wildly. "What are we going to do? She cannot be defeated." Panic was setting in and the crowd was on the razor's edge as giant holonews screens played out the latest updates.

Republic troops, dressed in blue and silver armor, slammed their Force Pikes on the tiled floor. Frustrated, Supreme Chancellor Locarno stood and yelled loudly, "Silence!"

The murmurs died away and the grand chamber became silent. The Chancellor pointed his finger around the room melodramatically. "You are all like fearful children. There is _nothing_ to fear," he said, trying more to convince himself, "only a few worlds at the Outer Rim have been affected. We are safe here in the Core Worlds. I have sent our heroes of the Mandalorian Wars, Admirals Vrex, Deritz, and Burnslider to bring Revan back in chains. That arrogant girl will soon kneel before me as a prisoner."

The gathered politicians bowed as one before the Supreme Chancellor, but many of their faces showed doubt. Despite the propaganda, there were many who realized that there was not a strategist in the Republic who could match Revan.

**Task Force 8 – Enroute to the Outer Rim**

Grand Admiral Vrex stood on the bridge of the _Republic Senate_, a sleek vessel with powerful engines and a vast array of armament. She was the flagship of the fleet and the pride of the navy. He looked down on his crew with a sense of superiority; he was the first person granted the rank of Grand Admiral in forty years…and he had great hair.

A commander approached the powerful man and bowed, showing due deference to a man of Vrex' status. "Grand Admiral, I have your juice…. It is just as you like it, not too cold." Another officer, Commander Neelos, stood nearby, holding a napkin while a third officer, Brutus Ergot, held Vrex's hat. A Grand Admiral of the Republic needed a grand entourage to be…well, grand.

"What of the hourly reports? Have my captains called in?" he asked as the napkin holder dabbed Vrex's chin to catch dribbles of juice.

The juice man looked fearful for a moment. "Grand Admiral, some of the captains are behind schedule. They claim…haha…that they are _focusing_ on battle readiness drills," he said as if that were the height of stupidity.

"Nonsense!" Vrex bellowed, his second chin shaking. "Commander Grrelo, as my tactical officer, you know how important it is that I stay in the loop! Have them cease and desist until those reports are completed. You bring them to me personally when they arrive."

Commander Grrelo, the former instructor at the Naval Academy on Coruscant, strode haughtily to the Communications Console and pushed the Communications Officer out of the way. He activated the holonet, sending his holographic image to all ships in the fleet. Radio-frequency energy shot in all directions from the vast communications array along the ventral surface of the magnificent vessel. The ships of Task Force 8 received the urgent, priority message and their captains nodded. Little did they know, but the RF energy was intercepted by a probe droid and relayed back to be viewed by a young woman sitting in the darkness of her own bridge.

On one of the ships of the fleet, Captain Tolkas beat his fist on a bulkhead. "These status reports are _killing_ us. They want _another_ inventory of our fuel supply and small arms? We did one two hours ago. It will take half the crew another hour to do this."

The XO of the ship sighed. "I'll get on it. Sir, I'm also reducing our long-range scouts by twenty percent. The command staff has told us we are over budget on starfighter maintenance."

Tolkas groaned. "Perhaps you were the smart one, Saul," he said under his breath.

Back on the flagship, Admiral Vrex observed the galactic map, which showed the locations of Revan's forces. Rear Admiral Beppo Smidt smiled at his map. "Sir, my intelligence has pinpointed Revan's fleet at _this_ system. My spies have told me that she has 'made anchor' here because her supply lines are too long and she is indecisive as to what to do next. Sir, we must strike her while she ponders her next move. We can end this rebellion with one battle."

Beppo, an obnoxious Twi'lek of great social standing, had risen through the ranks on guile and treachery. He had made a career undermining the positions of others while making himself spotless through administrative purity. Beppo was not a man to be trifled with and could ruin a fine officer's career with a word.

Little did he know, but all of his spies had been doubled back through the work of Bandon and Moritz. He was warned by subordinates that this may have happened, but he stated that the Grand Admiral did not want such news – it would spoil his day and make him angry.

Off to the side, Captain Tolkas' report arrived via data transfer and Commanders Grrelo and Ergot picked it apart with ruthless glee. After all, if you didn't have perfect form, what did you have?

"What? This report is not in the _proper_ format! He has only _one_ space after this period!" Grrelo cried. Surely, a man who didn't have perfect punctuation couldn't command in battle.

Ergot wailed, "He was suppose to reference 'armaments stores' _not_ 'weapons stores' and 'troops' _should_ have been listed as 'ground force personnel.' This is _all_ wrong!" These important things would surely lead them to victory over Revan.

Grrelo sneered. "_What_ was he thinking? Send it back. Tell him there will be no battle drills until this report is done _correctly_." An adjutant dutifully took down the instructions and transmitted them back to grammatical felon.

Aboard Captain Tolkas' ship, the XO read the message. "Those arrogant fools. They're going to get us all killed."

The Captain sighed. "I told Rear Admiral Smidt that these reports are counterproductive to our war effort, but he told me that the Grand Admiral didn't want to hear it – it would spoil his day and he would become angry. Defeating Revan is difficult…taking down one of us is easy. Redo the report and the inventory…." He said with resignation. There was no use fighting these bureaucrats. He'd rather take on Revan anyway.

Then, the Communications Officer turned. "Captain, incoming message on an ultra low frequency band…it's encrypted with an old algorithm. Okay…it's…it's from Revan and Saul…directed to you, sir."

Tolkas' eyes widened as he viewed the message. It was something he had never thought of before.

**The Outskirts of the Bastion System – Day Five**

Aboard the grand flagship, Rear Admiral Beppo Smidt stood in front of his massive display of the system. Intricate illustrations of Revan's fleet were depicted, showing her smallest ships in the center.

"Foolish girl, she doesn't even know we're coming. Look, her center is weak!" he said derisively. How the heck did she get such a reputation for strategy?

Admiral Vrex smiled as he was given a glass of juice. "Excellent, we've caught the '_famous_' admiral with her pants down. When she is tamed, she will make a wonderful concubine." He snickered as an officer dabbed his lips with a napkin. The staff forced a laugh at his prediction.

Beppo chortled out loud. "I hear her beauty is magnificent."

Vrex waved his hand across the bridge. "Indeed, it will be my pleasure to bring her to her knees. Signal my fleet to prepare for battle. We will strike Revan's center. Do not fear; we outnumber her two to one." Again, RF energy streamed from the flagship off into space, where bits of information wound up in Revan's hands.

An officer approached Smidt with a concerned look. He made a curt bow to the admiral. "Sir, this smells like a trap. They're just waiting for us. Raven has never been idle like this. Speed and violence of action are her hallmarks."

Beppo glowered at the officer, who retreated back a step. "Hold your tongue. The Grand Admiral does not want to hear such poppycock – it would spoil his day and make him angry."

As the chastised officer slunk away, Vrex' navy dropped out of hyperspace at the edge of the system and powered forth with ion engines. Near the fifth planet in the system, Revan's fleet appeared to respond slowly as the Republic vessels advanced to within firing range. Laser and ion bolts began to fly between the combatants and Revan's center began to fold.

"This battle is over!" shouted Vrex, standing up and shaking his fist in victory. He imagined Revan prostrate before him in chains. "Now, push forward!" Nearby, Beppo drew himself up tall, standing with immense pride; they had accomplished what no other could…defeat Revan.

Suddenly, the _Republic Senate _shook and the lights grew dim for a second. Sith starfighters raced by the viewport, lasers twinkling. Vrex looked around, stunned, his jaw slack. "Beppo, what is happening?"

The Communications Officer turned. "Sir, our flanking ships are under attack from Revan's wing elements. They have a new vessel of unbelievable power. Their starfighters are among our formations. I'm getting requests for instructions."

Commander Grrelo stood. His face was full of shock and his eyes had a blank, vacant look of near panic. "Have them…have them…submit the request to change formation on…on the Form Five Oh Two. We'll get back to them."

Another explosion rocked the ship and sparks flew from overhead. The Communications Officer's face registered horror, his eyes wide with fear now. "Sir, Captain Tolkas has defected…with _six_ vessels!" Confidence was drying up in the Republic fleet. Ignoring Revan's ability at deception and diplomacy was a fatal error. A cloud of Sith starfighters tore through Vrex' element and one of his cruisers exploded in a bright ball of flame before being extinguished by the vacuum of space. The starfighter then turned on the _Republic Senate_, lasers flashing across the vessel's shields.

"Shields are down! We've lost ion power!" yelled an officer as sparks flew from the consoles.

As the Sith shot by another message came to the attention of the Communications Officer. "Grand Admiral…it's Revan…on line one."

The holographic image of a young woman at the controls of a starfighter appeared. The visor of her helmet was up, showing a condescending smirk. "Welcome to the Bastion System, Grand Admiral…and congratulations on your promotion."

Vrex sneered at her arrogance. He would still show her who was boss. "We will defeat you, you upstart!"

Revan shrugged as she maneuvered her craft. "Perhaps you will, but not today. Grand Admiral…the whole concubine thing…very tacky. I am flattered by your comments on my looks, however. I want you to know that I do this for the greater good. Surrender to me now and I may find you a place in the new utopia."

The Grand Admiral shook his fist in rage. How dare _she_ offer _him_ a place? "Never! I'll never bow to the likes of you!" He looked wildly around, wondering how she had known everything he had said. His great hair had become slightly mussed. The _Republic Senate_ lurched as thruster control was lost. The massive ship glanced off of a nearby destroyer and flames burst from shattered parts.

The hologram of Revan shook her head sadly. She looked down into her cockpit. "Malak, you may kill them all. They refuse to see reason and have decided to resist us."

The neat formation of Sith starfighters spun about and made another pass. As the flagship awaited requests for authorizations, lasers tore into its guts, sheering off engines and vaporizing weapons mounts. Assault shuttles then landed and breached the hull of the helpless ship. Then, the slaughter began.

**The Bridge of the **_**Republic Senate**_

Sion hurled a Republic officer through the galactic map, shattering it into splinters of plexiglass, such was his strength. Shirtless, he flexed his massive muscles and spun his ruby lightsaber. Bandon followed, slicing the head off of another officer. Now bald and pale, Bandon sneered to those around him and then slashed the arm off of an attacking marine. The furious assault of the fallen Jedi was unstoppable.

Amid the chaos, Malak strode in. His extended palm radiated orange lightning and many of the enemy fell to the deck, screaming. Acrid smoke filled the room, giving Malak a sinister appearance with his new Sith tattoos. Unlike Revan, who thought it a tool, he truly believed the alien Sith philosophy.

The senior officer of the _Republic Senate_ groveled at Malak's feet and the Dark Jedi found he savored the feeling. One day, the galaxy would bow to him and no other. It would surely happen.

"Spare us!" whined Brutus Ergot on his knees. Malak thought he smelled urine coming from the man.

Malak snorted in disgust. He looked back and forth between the prostrate men. He then focused in on Commander Grrelo. "Remember me? You insulted Revan and I back on Coruscant."

Grrelo groveled, holding onto Malak's boot. "No! No," the man cried. With a gentle smile, Malak raised the man up and Grrelo sighed with relief before Malak split his head open with his lightsaber. As Grrelo fell to the deck, the others burst into tears.

The Dark Jedi stood tall above the quivering forms on the deck. "You're not worth the energy to kill. Your existence aids our war effort. Go home and tell your cowering masses of the might of Revan and Malak." He felt stronger than he ever had before and the feeling of victory was intoxicating. Why was Revan so upset by his laying waste of Telos? It didn't matter now. It was all part of his destiny. One day, he would be the master…just like Sith Master Jorak Uln predicted.

**The Star Forge**

In the heart of the Apex of Infinite Conquest, Revan stood, observing the holographic map of the galaxy. Her forces had conquered most of the Outer Rim and were pouring through the Republic defenses. Despite her victories, something did not sit right with her. She pulled out a small mirror and gazed into it. Revan gasped as she noticed her golden eyes and graying skin. The application of the Force lessened the effect somewhat, but Revan's lack of physical perfection grated on her.

She paced about for some time and then walked to the controls of the Forge. The young woman entered some commands and black robes and a crimson mask appeared. She removed her Jedi robes and examined her body, aghast at the gray pallor of her flesh.

With a motion of disdain, she cast aside the Jedi robes and donned the mask and black covering. "I am now Darth Revan, Dark Lord of the Sith," she said to herself as if it were a joke. She had taken the Sith moniker as a rallying point for her cause. The true Sith were a beaten force, scattered like the Mandalorians. Taking their philosophy was a convenient way to bring disparate peoples and disaffected Republic troops under her banner.

At that, Malak entered and approached. He bowed curtly to his master. "Revan, it is time for our training." Bandon and Sion entered as well and stood off to the side.

Revan raised an eyebrow under her mask. An unsettling feeling filled her gut. Her instincts told her something was amiss. _Could this be a coup? The Sith always preach that nonsense. Malak does believe in it more than he should._ She was beginning to feel some fear. Malak trusted that old crone, Kreia, too much. His love of the Sith philosophy was all too powerful.

Malak cocked his bald head. "Why are you hiding your beauty, Revan? Are you afraid of something?"

His arrogance was growing and she found him annoying. The Dark Lord laughed, a strained, high-pitch laugh. "Are you here to jabber or train?" She thought for a moment on how their relations had become strained…resentful as of late. For a brief moment, she thought of the blond young man on Dantooine…the tenderness of his touch…the nobility of his manner. But that was all in the past. Darth Revan could not find it in her heart to return to this simple time.

Malak ignited his lightsaber, which hissed forth its warlike intent. The ruby blade sparkled. He took a stance from Makashi, feet wide apart, weapon held aggressively in one hand. Revan responded, powering her crimson blade. She whirled it about like a baton and swung her right leg back, putting her weight on it. She knew that the Makashi was an elegant form, designed for combating another lightsaber. She knew that Malak was a master in several forms, most of them aggressive. She would keep this in mind.

The two Dark Jedi eyed each other, breathing slowly. Then, Malak sprung. Like a tiger, he launched his muscled body at her, cutting upward diagonally with great precision. Revan angled her body, letting the blade slide over her. She spun, slashing at his legs, but he deftly leapt over the strike.

Malak landed, delivering an overhead cut, which Revan parried. She pushed his blade away and sliced him across the belly with her weapon on low power. He grunted, switching to the aggressive Ataru Form, and cut her down the shoulder. She saw the shift in his power, but it came as a surprise. The ruby blade sliced through Revan's robes, baring the flesh across her chest. Revan staggered back and gasped; Malak's weapon was set to full power. How dare he? This was the moment that she had feared for some time now. Her mind darted between despair and angry resignation. Quickly rubbing the red skin on her chest, Revan narrowed her eyes. "So, this is how it has to be, Malak?" She would not be made a fool of.

He nodded with a smile and flexed his muscles, taking an Ataru stance, balanced and two-handed. Revan leaned back, putting her weight on her rear foot, letting the Shien Form dominate her defense. Springing forward, Malak delivered an oblique cut to her cheek. Revan parried the cut and shifted her weight forward. A kick to Malak's behind sent him off balance just enough. She saw an opening and time seemed to stand still. In a microsecond, she saw images in her mind of her first meeting with Malak, then named Eviran. She saw his devilish grin and his luxurious blond hair. She saw him beneath her as they played at love. It would end now. It would never be as it once was – too much had changed. As he recovered his stance, Revan sliced away Malak's jaw. Bone, marrow, and sinew, sprayed the ground and Malak fell, gurgling. Blood erupted up over the cauterized flesh from his mangled face and he writhed on the deck, grasping at the wound in agony.

Bandon and Sion tried to rush to the fallen Sith, but Revan turned to them. "Let this be a lesson to you. If you try this, you will meet the same fate."

Revan looked down on Malak's mutilated form and pity took her. She should kill him then and there, but her heart wouldn't allow it. There was still a place in there for the past. She pointed to Bandon and Sion. "Take him to the medical facility."

As her minions fled with the gurgling Malak, Revan bent over and picked up the shattered jaw. Raw and wild emotions flooded her mind. How did it come to this? How could her lover betray her so completely? She saw the signs, but did nothing, letting his anger fester in his soul. Everything would be different from now on. Her hands shook and she retired to her chambers and turned out the lights. In the darkness she sat, holding the mandible…and wept.


	2. Leviathan Part I

W/N - This is told mostly from Carth's POV. What does he feel and how will he deal with the past? Aerin and Juhani train. We wanted to weave in more of the Star Wars fighting styles and see how they interact.

Other malarkey - I freaking graduate tomorrow! I will have the #2 slot of 70 students - academics, PT, group exercises. Today's class was a snooze. We PT'd as well, running six miles and weights, plus I did 400 ab crunches. Our musha shugyo (warrior pilgrimage) was a success. We learned a lot from our temporary dojo. We had a slight advantage in that we train almost every day, whereas our opponents train once a week. One fellow liked to overuse _hari_, a beating of the blade to open the line. So, when he'd beat my blade, I was already in _furikaburi_ (raising to strike) and cut his open _kote_ (wrist) as he missed and overshot. One woman overused _nuki kote_ (dodge to the side and strike the wrist). I would strike _sayumen_ (angled cut to the head) so she'd walk into my cut and my blade would deflect her _kote_ strike at the same time. I look forward to taking some new skills and lessons back with me. Like sensei says, don't become addicted to any one _waza_.

**Leviathan – Part I**

_There Leviathan  
__Hugest of living creatures, on the deep  
__Stretch'd like a promontory sleeps or swims,  
__And seems a moving land, and at his gills  
__Draws in, and at his trunk spouts out a sea.  
__John Milton – Paradise Lost_

**The **_**Ebon Hawk**_** – Along the Interstellar Hyperspace Route to Korriban**

The rickety old ship flew along at hyperspace, held together by the will of the crew and the mechanical skill of Jordo Crae. With the demise of Haman Ergot, the death of Hari Ekala, and the transfer of Niki Helos, several bunk spaces had opened up and the team spread out. Aerin was glad for the extra space and threw some of her junk on an empty bed. She could see that Juhani had the same idea and felt a little relief too – the Cathar always had a large personal space. Being back on the _Hawk_ put Aerin in a somber mood and she felt very quiet. For one, it meant that they had to continue the quest. She was getting quite use to Manaan and living in the hotel with all of its services and luxuries. She missed lying next to Carth too in the still of the night – he was always so warm. The heady, manly scent of his skin was intoxicating to her. Even the 'L' word was beginning to creep into her mind. She treasured the temporary freedom that they had to live together in comparison to this female dorm that she was in now. She wished destiny would have allowed them to stay on Manaan and not be on this cold ship.

She looked over to the bunk where Sasha slept quietly, hugging her plush animal. Though she refused to be parted from the girl, she knew bringing her along on this dangerous quest was a huge mistake. She needed to take her mind off of it. She saw Juhani reading and tapped her foot. "Care to train? I need the work."

They went to the work room and Aerin lay her lightsaber on the ground as she knelt. They would meditate before battle. After a few minutes, she picked up her weapon and contemplated it as she rotated it slowly in her hand. She had placed the new energy cell in her weapon and was anxious to test it out. She admired the grip and balance of the cylinder, feeling at one with the lightsaber…her lightsaber. She held the weapon up and looked at her reflection in the polished surface. Yes, this was a thing of beauty and an object to be feared.

She saw Juhani rise and take a stance from Makashi, balanced with her weapon hand held low to the side. With a twitch, her blue blade hissed forth. Aerin matched her, taking the same stance and igniting her weapon. Makashi was all about footwork and Aerin knew her feet were fast, but Juhani's catlike movement was hard to beat. The Cathar was aggressive, so Aerin thought she'd beat her to the punch. She moved directly in, feinting high and than switching to the low line. Juhani's eyes followed the change in attack and she swung her blade low, parrying.

Juhani was artful in her feline grace and made a smooth, stabbing motion at Aerin's face. Padawan Dakar admired her opponent's economy of motion for a fraction of a second before circling her own blade and sliding the thrust just to the side of her head. The precision of their movements made the fight like an elegant ballet. Aerin shuffled her feet forward, taking the offence, but Juhani retreated just as quickly, keeping the distance. There was no opening.

They traded a short series of small cuts, probing and looking for weaknesses, but none could be found by either. Juhani matched her every move, but Aerin knew the disadvantage in Makashi was in its predictability. She suddenly growled, causing Juhani to take a step back and she let power flow into her limbs. Unexpectedly switching to Juyo, Aerin slashed diagonally upward, the intensity of her attack throwing the Cathar off balance. She followed up by closing the distance and seizing Juhani's arm. She twisted her hips and flung the woman over her shoulder.

Juhani flew, head over heels, but landed on her feet. Aerin was instantly on her opponent, the power of the Juyo Style burning in her. Forcing the Cathar on the defensive, Aerin swirled in a circle, cutting laterally. Juhani parried the blow, but it knocked her to one knee. With a flick of her wrist, Aerin brought the tip of her weapon to her opponent's chin. The battle was over and they powered down their weapons.

"That is my weakness," Juhani said, accepting Aerin's hand to pull herself up. "I cannot contend with Juyo. Perhaps one day you will teach me."

Aerin smiled and wiped the sweat from her forehead. "I would like that. Come, let us get a drink."

"Indeed, I could use one." They walked into the galley where Bastila leaned against the table, seemingly ruminating about something. Aerin opened the refrigerator and took out a pitcher, pouring herself and Juhani a glass of juice.

"Care for a drink?" she asked Bastila.

Padawan Shan merely muttered while shaking her head. Without another word, she left, walking toward the women's quarters. "What's the deal with her?" Aerin asked and Juhani shrugged. "She's as moody as Carth," she added.

Juhani poured two more glasses and pointed aft. "I'm going to take Jolee and Zaalbar a drink. Jolee is a bit…frustrated with the accommodations as the Wookiee seems to snore loudly and his breath is awful."

Aerin laughed out loud, nearly spitting out juice. "Yup, we all slept in the same room on Taris. Well, _slept_ wasn't what you could call it with all the racket he made."

Juhani chuckled. It was good to see her in high spirits. Aerin had grown very fond of the woman and was glad that she wasn't the traitor. Then, the Cathar did something unexpected – she kissed Aerin and then walked out. Aerin's mouth fell open in shock and she put her hand over her lips. What was that all about?

**In the Cockpit**

In the cockpit, Mission sat in the right seat as Carth guided her through the stars. She was a quick study and was soon handling the controls. The captain was finding a lot of pride in the young Twi'lek's growth.

"Easy," Carth said. "This ship is more delicate than a starfighter. You have to be a bit more gentle. Don't worry, you're getting the hang of it."

Mission eased the yoke to the right and the _Hawk_ responded well. Carth nodded. "Now, coordinate the yoke with your rudder pedals. This will make your turns smoother," he added and she banked to the left while pressing the left pedal. "Very good."

The young girl seemed to be taking to the whole experience and she seemed more relaxed around him, he thought. This was a good thing – she always was at odds with him before. "So, gramps," she said suddenly, pulling slowly back on the yoke to increase pitch, "what's going to happen when this is all over?"

He didn't quite understand the question. "We'll fly an approach and land on Korriban."

"No," she said, pinching up her face with that adolescent annoyed look, "when we waste Malak and his stupid Star Forge. We're all going to stay together, right? You, Aerin, me, Zaalbar, Sasha…even Bastila."

The question threw him for a loop and he felt embarrassed. "I…I really don't know, Mission. I would hope so."

"Well," she said, pushing the yoke forward, "that's what's going to happen. I know it."

This seemed to comfort him and he wondered how Aerin was doing. He missed the time they had lived together in the hotel and he thought about the warmth of her body under the silk sheets. Even the whole fake family thing was nice. He pursed his lips and furrowed his brows – could he ever bring himself to say it? He loved her. It had been a long time since he even thought of the word, but now, he couldn't think of a life without Aerin. He didn't want to admit it, but he prayed she thought the same way.

**In the Work Bay**

Back in the work bay, Canderous sat on a bench across from Ergeron, cleaning weapons and polishing armor. Now that he had another Mandalorian for company there was a burning question on his mind. "What ever became of Jagi?" Ordo asked without looking up from his disassembled blaster.

Ergeron shrugged. "He got twitchy after the Battle of Althir. Last I saw of him was when Revan slew the Mandalore."

Canderous nodded, remembering the desperate battle in which he seized the initiative to crush the Althirans; it was a costly fight. "I have often thought of the both of you. I slew Geratt on Kashyyyk. Aerin slew Sherruk on Dantooine. There are few of us left…the old ways are passing."

Ergeron grinned as he replaced a plasma injector into his blaster. "Then we will fight together to make the new days ones of glory."

This pleased the old mercenary. Though he had come to respect the Jedi and even that Republic captain, there was nothing like the camaraderie of a fellow warrior. He laughed a hearty laugh, one that he had not had in many years. Ergeron nodded as if thinking. "Geratt…Sherruk…did they die well?"

"They died as Mandalorian warriors."

"That is all I need to know."

They were interrupted as the corridors of the _Ebon hawk_ were filled with gleeful laughter. Sasha chased T3 down the hall as it beeped and booped. It would then turn and pursue her back as she squealed with delight. "You cannot catch me, Tee Three. You are too slow!" she yelled in her outside voice as they ran past Aerin in the galley.

Aerin watched her scamper by and nodded with satisfaction; her language skills were nearly perfected. She felt great pride in her daughter. She thought for a moment on that word. Truly, Sasha was someone else's daughter, but perhaps they were dead or didn't want her anymore. When this was all over, she could give Sasha a good life. Whether or not the Order would approve was not something she cared about…Master Vrook's scorn be damned. It would all work out, this she knew.

**In the Cargo Bay**

Despite the impending encounter in the heart of the Sith Empire, the days passed blissfully. Carth found time to sneak around the ship late in the time cycle to have a regular liaison with Aerin. He would meet her in the cargo bay when the lights were low and they would spread out a blanket in one of the lanes. He couldn't get enough of her. They lay in each others arms, bare upon the blanket and he kissed her ear. "Aerin…I have to say something," he whispered. "I think I lo-"

"Shhhhhh, don't say it, Carth. Not yet. Not like this – refugees on a broken down ship, hiding in the cargo bay," she said, putting her finger over his lips. "I want it to be special."

He nodded reluctantly. He really wanted to say it. For a moment he wondered if he would betray Morgana. He felt somber all of a sudden. "Okay, I'll wait. It will be special, Aerin…one day." They quickly dressed and snuck back to the galley. She took his hand and he felt alive, laughing like a school boy.

Jolee was in the galley, pouring himself some caffa. He looked tired and grumpy. "Damn kids," he muttered as he added cream. Kyle Durren sat at the same table, also looking glum.

"I don't understand, Jolee," the marine said, gesticulating, "she's like a roller coaster – one minute hot, one minute cold. It drives me nuts."

Jolee rolled his eyes. "Damn kids," he muttered again. "Look son, she's a Jedi, see, and a Jedi woman to boot," he said and then looked to Aerin. "No offense."

Aerin raised an eyebrow. "None taken."

Old Bindo nodded curtly and looked back to Kyle. "This means she doesn't know _what_ she feels. Jedi don't date, in case you didn't know that so when they do, they don't have a clue. I'd rather date a Two-Fanged Uluu Beast than a Jedi. At least the Uluu understands what if feels."

"Huh?" Kyle asked. Carth chuckled – Kyle was a great marine and a fantastic fighter, but he wasn't the brightest bulb on the ship.

Jolee sighed in frustration. "Look son, she'd got the hots for you, okay? It's just she doesn't know how to deal with it."

Kyle smiled at that. "The hots for me…," he said, thinking hard and ignoring the rest of the message. "That's good."

"Love, love, love," Jolee said with disgust, his face pinched up. "We should call this ship the _Ebon Hormone,_" he added and then looked back to Carth and Aerin, sniffing the air. "And you two…coming in here smelling like-"

"Say, how's the caffa," Carth interrupted, giving Jolee a face that told him to shut up.

"I see how it's going to be. Shut the old man down…ignore his wisdom, it's okay, I can live with it," he said, rising and walking back to the Medical Bay.

Aerin let out a laugh at the old man's zany antics and she grabbed Carth's hand. He knew he didn't want to go to Korriban. He had a bad feeling about it. He squeezed her hand back. "We should get back up to the cockpit now. We're nearing our destination."

**In the Cockpit**

Now three days out of Korriban, Carth began to plan their descent down to the planet. "We must once again scramble our codes and signature." Aerin carried out the order and altered their records in the computer to hide themselves from the hunting eyes of Malak.

Suddenly, the lights started flashing and the streaks of light from the stars came to a stop; they had fallen out of hyperspace. "What the…," the captain said in confusion. He checked the instruments and power settings and all was as it should be. The ship then lurched as an unseen hand grasped it. Carth's lip quivered. He saw what was out there and his blood ran cold. "It's a Sith _Interdictor_. It has us in a tractor beam. How did they track us?" The enemy ship dwarfed them by many orders of magnitude and he knew they didn't stand a chance in a fight, especially if they couldn't move.

Aerin got a funny look on her face as if she felt something and she leapt from her seat. She reached down under Bastila's seat and pulled the device that Ergot and the Selkath zookeeper had planted. "Dammit, someone placed a tracker on us when we were on Manaan." She quickly destroyed it, but the damage was done. "Carth, break us free," she said, her voice nearing desperation.

He jammed the throttle forward while maneuvering the ship violently, but to no avail. The strain of the engines filled the cabin. "It's no use…," said Carth in resignation. Then, recognition slowly filtered into his brain. What he had hoped and feared came at him all at once. "Oh no…It's the _Leviathan_…Saul's ship." Carth shook in quiet rage. He felt his mind would explode and he would ram the enemy ship if he could, killing everyone in the process.

He turned to see Bastila's face blanch white. "Malak must be near. It must be that the Dark Side has waxed so powerful that we could not feel him."

Mission and T3 came rushing up to the cockpit and Aerin turned to them sharply, her face angry and snarling. "Mission, hide Sasha and T3 in the cargo hold, _quickly_." The young Twi'lek started to protest, but the look on Aerin's face stopped her cold. Mission bolted from the cabin.

Carth leaned back and put his hands over his face. His brain was working overtime and sweat dripped down his forehead. He knew that he would have to die, but hopefully, not today. "Well, we're going to need to devise an escape plan."

Padawan Shan narrowed her eyes as if scolding him. "It's a bit _premature_ to be talking about escape, don't you think?"

Carth shook his head. The present was as good a time as any and he knew they didn't have much time. "Well, we better think of _something_. There are going to be Sith troops in here in five minutes." He grit his teeth and thought of trying to ram the _Leviathan._ All the hopes of family and future, hearth and home…and love went completely out the window with even the remotest possibility that he could kill Saul. His eyes bulged and his neck tensed.

Aerin grasped his arm. "Carth, you're not going to do anything rash, are you?"

"You mean like getting us all killed in a mad quest for revenge? No…of _course_ not," he uttered, lying. "But like I said, if I see Saul, _don't_ get in the way," he added with angry gesticulations. He meant it. He didn't know what he'd do if Aerin did try to stop him. He didn't want to think about that.

Canderous stepped forward. "As you know, I have an implant," he said in his gravelly voice. "I'll detonate a grenade on my chest and it'll look like I've been killed in an accident. Then, later, when I come to, I'll spring you all." His voice was matter-of-fact, like he was talking about eating dinner.

Aerin put her hand on the mercenary's chest and shook her head. "You could be killed."

He shrugged. "Yah, so. We all gotta die. This is our best chance."

Carth nodded. "He's right. We don't have much time. Good luck, Canderous." He looked over and extended his hand. Whatever his feelings about Mandalorians, he had to say that this one was a team player.

Ordo nodded and clasped Carth's hand. "Saving the Republic again…," he said with a chuckle. Then he pointed at the captain like his hand was a blaster. "You just do your damn part."

As the mercenary walked off, Aerin pointed to HK. "HK, I want you to shut down and appear damaged. Set your internal timer for two hours and awake. You are then to rescue us and help us escape the _Leviathan._"

"Obedient: As you wish, Master. Do I have free reign in inflicting casualties along the way?"

Aerin nodded and HK's eyes flashed with delight. Damn, he loved her when she was in charge like that. He knew they would get out of this, they had to. Carth then took her in his arms and kissed her.

HK turned his face upward. "Protest: Do you two _always_ have to rub your mucous-filled parts together? Apology: Ummm, Master, I don't know _what_ got into me. I should just shut down now."

The droid powered off as the _Ebon Hawk_ slid into the hangar bay of the Sith giant.

**In the Hangar Bay of the **_**Leviathan**_

On command, the egress hatch of the _Ebon Hawk_ lowered and Carth led the way out, hands up. It was the moment of truth and he burned inside at the thought of being helpless to Saul. Dozens of Sith troopers surrounded them, aiming blasters. A red clad elite trooper grabbed Carth and hurled him to the deck. He grit his teeth as he hit the floor. Aerin came next and suffered the same fate. A Sith trooper jammed his knee into the back of her neck and bound her hands behind her. Another trooper placed a Force-suppressing collar on her and they hauled her up. As much pain as he was in, he couldn't bear to see her like this. One by one, the team was bound and led away to a processing facility. All Carth could think about was that they weren't done yet.

In the cold, spartan chamber, the Sith led them in and forced them to kneel as spherical droids hovered, scanning them. Their weapons were confiscated and thrown into a locker. Carth's hopes sank as they found his hidden blaster and threw it into the locker.

As they knelt there, helpless, four troopers entered, carrying Canderous' burned body. They hurled him to the floor and stripped him bare. "This one's about had it. Toss him in the morgue."

Another group bore HK. "Busted up droid…we'll salvage it for parts later." Carth took a breath and held it, just hoping beyond hope that they're crazy plan would work. It had to – he _had_ to have the chance to kill Saul.

Under extreme guard, the team was stripped and searched. Aerin lay on her belly, looking at Carth as droids examined her. Then, an officer pulled her up. Seeing her humiliated like this just tore the captain up inside. The officer then pointed at Carth and Bastila. "Take these three to the special facility. Throw the rest in the prison cell."

As they pushed the three along, Kyle blurted, "Bastila! No!" before he was clubbed by the Sith. Bastila shrieked and tried to squirm away, but the officer grasped her throat. She tried in vain to use the Force, but the collar cut her off from her power; she was helpless. In the end, the others were dragged off, Kyle thrashing the whole way.

Carth watched them as they walked and, unexpectedly, Mission threw a tantrum. "Hey you piece of bantha poo," she yelled at a guard. "I'll bet you wear that mask to hide your rancor face!" The captain's gut tightened for a moment, thinking she just caused her own death.

The soldier was about to slap her when an officer held his arm. "She's just a stupid child. Throw her in isolation…that'll cool her off." Carth saw Mission shoot him a smile and he sighed in relief. She was doing what she did best – get in a tight spot, surrounded by enemies and then finesse her way out. Good girl.

**The Special Facility**

Troopers took the three and chained their necks to a wall. Their arms were bound over their heads and their ankles secured. There would be no escape for the moment. As they stood there, agonizing in their powerlessness, in walked a man. In contrast to their nakedness, he was dressed in a pressed gray uniform. Epaulets and braids adorned his shoulders and his high, black boots were polished to perfection. Carth rattled his chains in rage.

"Saul, you bastard!" he said, seething. If he could reach out and strangle his mentor, he would have. His face reddened as he strained to break free.

The Admiral chuckled. "I see the years have not been kind to you, Carth, old boy. Malak will be most pleased that I have captured the hero of the Republic alive, along with his Jedi friends."

All the captain had now were empty threats. "If it's the last thing I do, Saul, I'll-" Carth began until Saul pressed a switch. Electricity arced over Carth and he screamed. It was like his body was on fire.

"No!" he heard Aerin cry, but her voice came through a long tube of pain and she sounded far away.

Saul stopped and Carth gasped, his breath ragged. He tried to talk, but his mouth was dry. All he could do was watch the admiral walk closer to Aerin. He studied her closely for some time and she squirmed under his gaze. "No…this is not possible," Saul said. "Who are you?"

"I am Padawan Dakar of the Jedi Order. It is not too late, Saul, you can turn from the darkness."

Saul laughed. "Is this some kind of _joke_?"

He pressed a different switch and Aerin arched her back in pain. She grit her teeth for a few seconds until she could bear it no longer and a long, pitiful wail came from her throat.

"Stop! Please!" cried Carth. He couldn't bear it. He would sacrifice everything to kill Saul, but not her…not her.

Saul laughed harshly, the sound of it like a chill wind. He turned back to Carth, looking at him like he were an imbecile. "You have _no_ idea, do you?" he asked the captain. "Well, let's just say that your friend here has somewhat variable loyalties." He pressed the switch again and Aerin writhed in agony.

"I'll never tell you anything," she hissed, tears rolling down her face.

The admiral nodded, tilting his head and pursing his lips as if he agreed with her. "I know…you are a Jedi. Therefore, I'll use someone less able to withstand the pain. Tell me what I want to know and it stops. What is your mission?"

Aerin's face took on a pleading look. "We're just trying to escape. We-"

Saul shook his head and pressed the switch. Carth cried out in ragged breaths and Aerin sobbed. The agony was unbearable. He thought his skin would peel away.

"Where is the Jedi Academy?" Saul asked, persistent.

"Coruscant…," Aerin blurted weakly. For Carth, the pain stopped and his legs gave out, letting him dangle by his wrists. He tried to stand, tried to face the admiral bravely, but he had not the strength.

Saul smirked. "I _already_ know that it is on Dantooine…or _was_. We destroyed it a few days ago." He reactivated the torture chamber. Carth screamed again and Aerin bloodied her wrists struggling against her bonds.

"You filthy liar!" Aerin yelled, her voice shrieking.

"No," said Bastila sadly. "He speaks the truth…I can feel it. You are a sick and perverted man, Saul."

To their relief, an officer came in and whispered to the admiral. He turned back to his victims. "Lord Malak will arrive soon. I have been most merciful in comparison to his dark power." He strode back up to Aerin and grasped her by the chin. "As for you, this is too ironic…but no, I'll not spoil the Dark Lord's fun. I'm sure he will tell you himself." Saul then let his eyes gaze over her naked form. "You always were so beautiful." With that, he pushed the switch down and all three screamed in agony. Carth's mind exploded in white hot pain. Saul laughed loudly as he went to confer with his master.


	3. Leviathan Part II

W/N - I am home!

**Leviathan – Part II**

**Aboard the **_**Leviathan**_**, the Flagship of the Sith Fleet**

Aerin awoke with a start. Her mouth was dry from screaming and every fiber of her being was afire with pain. She lay, face down on the floor, surrounded by a force field. Weakly, she raised her hand to shield her eyes from the intense lights beating down on her body.

"You're awake?" she heard Bastila ask.

She turned her head slowly to see her fellow Jedi sitting up, cross legged. Bastila's skin was an angry red from the effects of the electricity and her head was down in her hands. Aerin turned to see Carth sitting on the floor as well.

"Aerin," he said painfully. "Tell me that you're okay." She could feel the inner turmoil in his voice. She wished she had let Carth say what he had to say.

The raven-haired Jedi started to speak, but she shook with shame and despair. She looked away from him and began to sob. "Carth, we're doomed. How will we survive? I've led you all into disaster. I'm so sorry…," she trailed off.

She looked back and saw him, barely controlling his inner rage, wanting to reach out to her. Then, his expression became firm with his jaw set. "Remember what I said on the _Hawk_ about _the will to prevail_? Don't you forget it." She knew he was trying to provoke her back to reality, but the tears wouldn't stop.

Aerin choked and wiped her nose. "It nearly _killed_ me to see you suffer like that. I wanted to tell him what he wanted to hear just to stop him from hurting you."

Now he looked away and blushed red. She could see his shame now. "I almost wished you had, just to stop the pain."

From the third Force cage, Bastila inhaled, getting their attention. "It was fortunate that you didn't," she said coldly, seemingly impervious to the earlier torture. "Any information we give Malak could have grave consequences for the Republic."

Aerin nodded. A strategic opportunity just presented itself. "I almost let slip that our quest led us to Bastion. It would have-"

"Shush!" hissed Carth. Their eyes met and they understood each other.

If they could see behind the wall, they would see two Sith officers listening to speakers in a small room. Both smiled broadly. This would surely be valuable intelligence. "Record that and bring it to Admiral Karath immediately," declared one.

**The Morgue**

Canderous' eyes opened and he gasped for air. He spat up blood and rolled off of a metal slab, landing hard on the floor. The big mercenary's head spun for a moment until he shook his head vigorously. He looked around quickly to note that he was alone and quickly seized a scalpel from a stainless steel table. With a flare of his nostrils, he moved to the door. A few tense minutes passed until the door opened and a man in a black lab coat entered. The man walked over to the slab where Canderous had lain and, seeing that it was unoccupied, raised an eyebrow.

The man turned quickly, but Canderous stood right in front of him. Without a word, he cut the man on the side of the neck, beneath the jaw. Before the man could scream, he covered the man's mouth and looked deep into his eyes, watching the life ebb from the body. It was a good kill…a satisfying kill. The mercenary quickly took the man's clothes as his own, noting that the dark color hid the blood well. He nonchalantly left the room and looked around the cold corridor, trying to orient himself.

_Ah, I have a feeling that the prison complex is this way._

**Solitary Confinement**

Mission Vao sat on the hard, metal bench alone in a room, secured by a force field. She was worried and her face showed it - worried for Aerin and Sasha…even Gramps. She had to get them out of this mess. Standing, she walked to the bright field at the entrance and looked around.

_Good, no guards…no cameras._

She deftly pulled the utility tool, that she had lifted from the Sith trooper, from her underwear and began to pry off a panel near the entrance. As the metal plate popped off, she peered inside the hole to examine the wiring.

_Man, these Sith have nothing on the Exchange. Now Davik, he knew security._

Taris had prepared her well for this one moment. She slid her thin arm into the access port and rerouted the power supply. The field at the entrance vanished with a sizzle and the young Twi'lek grinned. She was free…for the moment. Mission poked her head out and scanned the corridor. When she saw that it was clear, she crept down the hall carefully until she saw another cell, inhabited by a naked Rodian. She would need allies and she knew that the enemy of my enemy is my friend.

"Psssst," whispered Mission. "You want out? You're gonna help me."

The Rodian leapt up. His long lips made an 'O', seemingly an indication that he was pleased. "Me help you. Me have super spike tunneler. Me give you if you help free I." He held up the long spike, used to hack security systems.

The Twi'lek looked it over, clearly impressed. This was getting better by the minute. "We got a deal."

She looked him up and down for a second and then asked, "Ummmm, just how did you hide that tunneler?" she asked, her mind drawing some bad conclusions. "No, nevermind, I don't want to know. Let me get you out." She deactivated the barrier and the Rodian handed her the spike. Mission took it with her thumb and forefinger, a disgusted look on her face.

"Me was on freighter attacked by Sith. Sith torture crew for fun. Only I left. Crew now insane…no can help. Come, us go."

They snuck ahead to find some bins, where the Rodians' gear had been thrown into. Mission easily picked the lock with her tool and she opened the bin. The Rodian took some clothes and a blaster pistol, while the Twi'lek took a similar weapon, a vibrodagger, and a stealth field generator. This would be useful stuff. She flicked the belt on and her image wavered for a moment and then faded into the background.

The Rodian moved his flexible mouth around several times, indicating that he was pleased with this. Satisfied that she was stealthed, Mission scurried down the hall, where she passed a cell full of screaming Rodians; her new friend's insane crew. She felt bad about these poor souls, but maybe they could help after all. A number of Sith soldiers walked past her without noticing her presence. On bare feet, she padded along behind them.

At a door, the officer pointed at two troopers. "Make sure you keep videos of that torture session. Watching those Jedi scream was priceless."

Mission knew what they were talking about and wanted to kill them on the spot. She made an angry face, but waited. It was no good getting herself killed before freeing her friends. The door opened and the two soldiers walked into a computer section with Mission scrambling in behind them. _Whew, that was close._ She looked around as the door shut and saw two other soldiers at a console, monitoring her friends.

"Man, those two Jedi are hot," one voiced, leering at the monitor. Mission gasped, seeing Aerin rolling weakly around on the floor of a Force cage. She was now in touch with her inner rage.

_Nuff of this._

The young Twi'lek sealed the door and uncloaked. Standing behind the group, she delivered four quick and precise shots. The fourth trooper turned just in time to see the muzzle flash from Mission's blaster as it shattered his reflective mask. "Die already," she said coldly, her teeth bared in a snarl. Nobody messed with her friends and lived to tell about it.

She then unsealed the door and the Rodian sprinted in. She sliced into the computer system and brought up a schematic of the area. Seeing a menu, she chuckled. "Heh, chew on this, Sith scum," she said as she altered the identification protocols of the sentry droids and deactivated the barrier on the Rodian crew's cell.

On one of the monitors, they watched the crazed Rodians charge out and begin banging on the walls. The mob rushed into a patrol of Sith troops and beat them with pipes and fists. The Sith fought back and yelled for reinforcements, summoning battle droids.

Two remaining Sith soldiers stood and fired into the Rodians. "Droids, attack!" one yelled and they did just that. A sentry droid aimed its blaster at the back of the Sith's head and opened fire. Mission laughed out loud.

**The Salvage Room**

In the dim lights of the salvage room, orange eyes began to glow. The somewhat psychotic droid, HK-47, returned to life and sat up. His internal chronometer read exactly two hours and his power source had reactivated. He cocked his head as if listening.

"Observation: I hear blaster fire in the hall. No, the Master didn't wait for _me_!" he complained, his circuitry in near panic at the thought of missing carnage. Part of his leg opened wide and he removed a hidden blaster pistol. Brandishing it menacingly, he rushed into the corridor to find Sith soldiers pinned down by their own sentry droids.

"What's happening? Our droids have gone berserk!" yelled one officer as blaster bolts rained down upon them.

"Statement: My mechanized brothers have finally wised up."

The Sith turned to see HK standing there. The rust-colored droid fired a bolt that slammed into the officer's chest, knocking him flat. HK then sprayed freezing chemicals into the ranks of the Sith and, those not turned into frozen meat, fled for all they were worth.

As the troops ran, HK and the other droids pursued them vigorously. "Taunt: Your backsides appear most pleasing. Your meatbag master Malak would be so proud." As the parade of death ran by a door, he noticed a blue Twi'lek inside, who waved at them as they scurried away toward Jolee and the others.

Near the main holding cells, the Sith began receiving reinforcements. They scattered and took positions of cover, aiming their blasters through the hatch. Battle droids sparked and fell under the fusillade of bolts as HK strode obliquely forward, his targeting system picking out the most dangerous Sith. Now, with a pistol in each mechanized hand, he fired with deadly accuracy, hitting the enemy behind cover at 20 meters.

Two troopers hastily set up an ion support weapon and fried a battle droid. Sparks flew from the machine and it pitched forward, scattering parts. HK cocked his head and his eyes glowed brightly. "Worry: Uh oh." He hated ion weapons with a passion.

The droid's fears never materialized as Canderous charged from the flank, now armed with a blaster carbine. With a war cry, he ran forward, firing into the gun crew and dropped them both with a barrage of bolts. "For Mandalore!" he yelled, throwing the Sith into confusion. There was a special place for Canderous in HK's dark mechanized heart. The guards broke and fled down the corridor, followed by Canderous, still howling, and HK, hurling insults.

**The Security Center**

Mission watched the monitor to see Canderous and HK running down the hall and she poked her head out of the security center. "Hey guys, Z and the rest are this way," she called to them, pointing in the opposite direction. When no one responded, the young Twi'lek dragged her Rodian friend to the main cell. They were going to have to do the rescue themselves. She ran into the holding area and saw Z, who warbled with delight.

"You're a scrappy young thing," voiced Jolee with pride. "I knew we were in good hands."

Mission quickly introduced her new friend as she deactivated the cages. "Gweedo here gave us a big hand."

With sighs of relief, the team leapt out of their cells and ransacked the nearby crates. Other forlorn prisoners joined them in desperation and they had quite a rag tag force now. Jolee pulled on his robes with a grunt. "Shame on those Sith…an old man gets mighty cold in these drafty cells."

Zaalbar shrugged, looking down at his copious fur and Jolee smirked. "Oh, don't give me that look, hairball. Okay, we need to find Aerin and the others."

Mission bumped her eyebrows twice. "I'm already on it. Just follow me." She liked being the one to deliver the goods. As they exited the holding cell, blaster bolts, howling, and the sound of running feet drew nearer. From around a corner, Canderous and HK retreated from a horde of Sith. The mercenary fired randomly backward while emitting one long, continuous yell.

Seeing this, Kyle, Mission, and Zaalbar hurled grenades down the corridor. Onrushing Sith troops dove for cover or leapt away as blasts and shrapnel tore into them. Kyle then knelt down and placed several mines, covered by Zaalbar's bowcaster and Mission's blaster. As the Sith reemerged, Mission waved them ahead.

"C'mon! This way."

As they fell back, the lights dimmed and a red glow filled the corridors. "I guess Saul Karath knows that we've broken out," mused Kyle amid the sounds of screams and explosions behind them.

"Those Sith…all power and no brains," added Mission. "I've got the security override on my data pad. They can't lock the section down or gas us."

The group turned a corner and opened a door. As they entered, Carth and Bastila bolted up, the Padawan covering herself with her hands. Aerin moaned weakly. Mission's heart raced. She had found her friends, but Aerin was in bad shape. She ran to the control panel and slammed the deactivate control. All they had to do now was get off this tub.

**The Torture Chamber**

Carth felt waves of relief as Mission burst through the door and turned the force field off. Juhani and Jolee rushed over and handed them their gear. He took his clothes and, without thinking, Carth wrapped Aerin up in her robes and held her. "Come on, Lieutenant…use your training. Stay in the fight." He had to get her up. They weren't out of the woods yet.

She rose painfully, eyes bulging and disoriented. "I'm still in the fight, captain," she said in a raspy voice.

"Good, because we're going to kill Saul."

Aerin shook off the miasma and focused, standing on her own two feet. Bastila had just thrown on her robe and pointed to the exit. "We do not have much time."

Jolee quickly updated them and Padawan Dakar looked about, seeming to gather her wits. She started pointing to members of the group. "Canderous, Jolee, I need you to secure the _Ebon Hawk _for escape. Take the other prisoners with you. Bastila, Carth, we must go to the Bridge and shut down the tractor beam control. Mission, HK, you guys did great. Go with Canderous and make sure Sasha and T3 are okay. Let's go."

Mission beamed with pride and held out a long spike. "You're going to need this. Gweedo here gave it to me. Don't worry, I wiped it down."

Aerin gave her a strange expression and accepted the tunneler. With that, the team dashed off in two directions as the red alert klaxon blared. Carth was running on adrenaline now and was just glad someone had the situation under control.

At the elevator, Aerin, Carth, and Bastila piled in. Aerin jammed the spike into the control. "Bridge level," she commanded and up they went. The turbolift rocketed upward with flashing red lights, but soon came to a halt. As the hatch opened, Carth saw a Sith squad waiting to get on. He immediately opened fire on the surprised men. Smoke and flashes filled the air as Aerin and Bastila thrust their weapons forward, skewering the stunned force. As Sith fell around them, Carth rushed forward, oblivious to the danger.

"Down ya go!" he yelled, pumping bolts from both his weapons into a Sith sergeant. He hurled a grenade ahead and ran for cover. The sphere shattered a second squad rushing toward the turbolift and Carth barreled ahead with reckless abandon. Madness was taking him over with every inch that he drew closer to revenge.

"Carth, no!" yelled Aerin, rushing after him, slashing bolts from mid air, but he could not hear her; the rage had taken him.

Firing at the run, he leapt over dead troopers and through the smoke. A grenade sailed past him, exploding in his wake, but on he came, demonic in his thirst for vengeance. Vaguely, her felt shrapnel in his back, but it didn't even slow him.

The captain turned a corner and was greeted by a wall of blaster fire. In a blur of blue robes, Aerin landed in front of him and batted the bolts back to their owners. As the Sith fell to the deck, the Jedi faced Carth. "Captain, you need to control yourself."

He was about to answer when the sound of lightsabers sang out. Aerin looked back down the hall to see Bastila engaged with three Dark Jedi. She spun, twirling her dual bladed weapon and severed the leg of one opponent. She then retreated toward Aerin and slammed the blast door behind them.

Carth breathed deeply, regaining his composure…for now. "Damn, trapped again." He grunted in frustration.

Aerin rushed over to a series of space suits, lining the bulkhead. "No, we'll use these," she declared, taking one apart and sliding into it." The sound of lightsabers slicing into metal heralded the Dark Jedi's attempt to get at them. They needed to hurry.

When they had donned the suits, Carth walked over to the airlock and activated his magnetic boots. "Let them come." A dark and evil idea formed in his head.

The Dark Jedi finished cutting through the hatch and it fell to the deck with a crash. Seven of them fanned out to face the three. "Fools," said one haughtily until he saw Carth tap the airlock control. The outer door slid open and a fierce wind sucked the Dark Jedi into space. Their screams faded into the void.

"Suckers," said Carth as they stomped in magnetic boots out the hatch.

As they strode along the hull of the monstrous ship toward the Bridge, the commlink chimed. "This is Canderous, we're under heavy fire in the hangar bay…some casualties, but we are- Now, for Mandalore! Forward!"

"Warning: Flee now, meatbags!"

"Dee reet!"

The line went dead and Aerin looked at Carth through the dark visor. "I heard Tee Three. Sasha must be okay." He felt immense relief at that.

Near the Bridge, they found the airlock and entered. Discarding the space suits, they crept into the corridor. Bastila put two sentries to sleep after having them call to declare the area clear. They then ascended a long corridor and stood at the door to the Bridge. Unexpectedly, the portal opened as if they were expected. This could not be good.

"Come in, Carth, old boy. I knew my teachings would not fail you."

There stood Saul Karath in his fine dress uniform. He was flanked by two Dark Jedi Masters and numerous troopers. This could get ugly fast, but the captain didn't care at this point. There was only _one _thing that mattered now in all his heart. Carth grunted and stepped onto the Bridge. He sneered at his old mentor.

"The _only_ thing you taught me, Saul, was hatred. I have lived _only_ for this moment."

Saul smirked. "Why didn't you listen when I offered you an opportunity? It was an opportunity for you and Morgana…we all could have been part of the vision."

"This vision…of death and destruction? Why Saul? Why?" Carth asked, almost pleading. He couldn't wrap his brain around what Saul hoped to accomplish. Why did his friend betray him and destroy his homeworld and kill his beloved Morgana? He had to know…he had to have his revenge.

"Enough," Saul replied, looking away, his face turning red. "The Dark Lord is coming. He will be here soon. Surrender to me now and I will ask him to show you mercy."

It was Carth's turn to smirk. It was now or never. His whole life these past months was lived for this one moment in time and he could taste it. "Not a chance," he said, firing a shot at Saul, "I'd rather die." The bolt flew just past Saul's cheek, burning his face. The admiral cried out and his minions attacked. Bastila and Aerin leapt forward and engaged the Dark Jedi and Carth took careful aim at Saul, but two onrushing troopers took his attention.

The captain moved to the side and fired a barrage of bolts from his pistols into the charging men, stopping them in their tracks. He grunted in frustration, seeing that Saul had taken cover and was firing back at him with a cruel-looking Sith pistol.

From the flanks, two Sith soldiers charged at Carth and he dodged under the cut of a vibrosword. The captain spun and fired both of his pistols point blank into the Sith's breastplate. Scorch marks appeared and the guard pitched over backward. The second trooper sliced Carth in the left shoulder, biting through Davik's armor. Carth dropped one pistol with a howl, but jammed his remaining pistol into the Sith's face, firing. The guard's mask exploded in smoke and flame and he collapsed to the deck.

Still howling, this time in uncontrolled rage, Carth yanked the vibrosword from his shoulder. He saw Aerin dueling the Dark Jedi and slashing away bolts from Saul. Cradling his left arm, he sprinted at his nemesis, screaming, "Saul! Let's end this!" he screamed, spittle flying from his mouth. All he could see was his prey…his vengeance.

The Dark Jedi turned, momentarily distracted by the screaming and Aerin slashed his throat and belly with her two weapons in a quick, lateral cut. Carth leapt over the falling body toward Saul. Things moved in slow motion as the admiral stood to move, but two bolts caught him in the side and he flipped through the air, landing on the deck with a crash. Still, Carth charged, a long, blood-curdling shriek coming from his lips.

Bastila then drove the point of her lightsaber into the other Dark Jedi's mouth, the sun-colored blade protruding from the back of his head. She withdrew her weapon sharply and the body fell to the deck like a limp rag doll.

Saul crawled weakly away, but Carth flipped him over and punched him on his wounded side. The captain let out a feral war cry, satisfied by his enemy's pain. Saul screamed and Carth jammed his pistol into the admiral's forehead, imprinting his muzzle on the skin with the force.

"No Carth, don't give into hatred," he vaguely heard Aerin call. "You have your revenge. Let's go…."

The captain's face twitched and he grit his teeth. The veins popped out along his neck. He squeezed the trigger, watching his mentor wince. He had dreamed of this moment every night in the dark void of his mind. Now, that the moment was reality, all he could focus on was Aerin's words. Then, he pushed Saul's face away and holstered his pistol, grunting with frustration, angry at himself for not finishing it. What good was he if he had failed at this one thing he had lived for? Taking Saul's weapons, he stood, spitting on his former mentor.

Saul wheezed and blood flowed from his nose and mouth. Coughing, he motioned Carth closer. "There is something you should know, old boy."

Reluctantly, Carth leaned in. He had to know why. Saul whispered something to the Captain and then coughed some more. "You needed to know," he added with a gurgling laugh.

It couldn't be. In all of his darkest imaginings, this could never have happened. Saul was just trying to poison his revenge. But…could it be true? Carth bolted up and stared at Aerin. No, it was not possible. He looked back at Saul, but the Admiral was dead, taking his evil and misery with him.

"What did he say?" asked Aerin, seeing the horror on Carth's face. He couldn't speak to her. He had to look away.

Bastila motioned from the Command Console. "I've shut down their tractor and sensors. We need to go _now_!"

Carth's breath came in ragged gulps. He played Saul's words over and over in his head like a broken record. "Bastila, tell me this isn't true."

He saw that Padawan Shan immediately knew what he was saying. "Carth…we need to go. I'll explain everything once we're safe."

Aerin moved to put her hand on Carth's cheek, but he stepped back and stared at her. He looked at her like she were a demon. Bile formed in his throat and his stomach churned. How could he have been such a fool?

"We need to go!" urged Bastila and they ran after her.

They wormed their way through dark corridors toward the turbolift to the hangar. The commlink chimed. "This is Canderous, we've taken the _Hawk_, but you must hurry." The three sprinted through a blast door and saw their nightmare.

There, in a red body suit, covering his rippling muscles, stood the Dark Lord of the Sith. The metal ring encasing the bottom of his face reflected the ruby glow of his lightsaber. All was silent except for the hum of his weapon.

Carth broke the silence. "Down ya go!" he yelled, but with a wave of Malak's hand, Carth flew into a bulkhead and fell like a rag doll. He groaned weakly on the deck. He wished he were dead.

**Near the Hangar Bay**

"Leaving so soon, Bastila? It has been such a long time, my old friend," crooned Malak. Aerin's skin crawled at the mechanized sound of his voice.

Aerin's hands shook as she inched forward. Fear gripped her like a vice. Strange emotions flooded her and flashes of a blond man appeared in her mind. She blinked hard to dislodge the image. What was happening to her?

Malak turned to her, his golden eyes boring into her soul. "When Admiral Karath told me of your return, I could not believe it. I had to see for myself. It is true…have you come to reclaim the title of Dark Lord of the Sith?"

Aerin looked over her shoulder to see who he was talking to, but then realized that she was the recipient of his words. Seeing her confusion, he laughed sarcastically in his mechanized voice.

"You do _not_ know who you are…. That is priceless. What did you do, Bastila, wipe her mind? Haha, you are no better than a droid." He began to laugh, the sound of it like a winter storm.

Aerin's knees began to weaken. "What are you talking about? This is some kind of Sith trick."

Malak shook his head. "I see the Jedi, in their weakness, spared you. Come, my lover, let me embrace you once more," he declared, raising his arm and beckoning to her. "You have lost none of your beauty."

Images now surged into Aerin's mind, past her ability to stop them. The delicate woman's eyes bulged and she staggered, dizzy and confused.

_Bastila stands before the Jedi Council on Dantooine. The old men's faces were grave, but hopeful. "What better weapon than to turn the enemy against herself," urges Bastila with supreme confidence._

_Vrook grouses at the Council. "She is too old…it is too dangerous. What if she should fall to the Dark Side again?"_

_Master Vandar hovers above her naked body, lying on a bed. "It is done. You must make her caring and give her respect for all life."_

_Aerin's mind floats elsewhere…._

_She bonds with a handsome, blond man in the fields of Dantooine._

_She exudes power at the entrance of an ancient ruin._

_She defeats Master Vrook in a duel._

_A masked woman, cloaked in black and crackling with dark energy, stands atop an ancient temple. The tall, thin woman removes the mask to reveal…Aerin Dakar._

Aerin's knees buckled and she fell to the deck. "No, no, this is some trick!" This is impossible. She is Aerin Dakar of Deralia, a girl who just wants to serve her Republic and save lives. This is not possible. She recalled the betrayed look in Carth's face a few minutes ago. Could it be?

Malak stepped forward, extending his hand to Aerin. "I had hoped for this meeting, Darth Revan."


	4. Leviathan Part III

**Leviathan – Part III**

**Aboard the **_**Leviathan**_**, the Flagship of the Sith Fleet**

Aerin's mind swam under the impact of the revelation. She blinked her eyes, knowing that she was going to wake up in the hotel, snuggled in Carth's arms. When it didn't happen, she struggled back to her feet and turned to face Bastila, a pleading look filling her gray eyes.

_Please…please tell me this is not true._

Bastila stood there, stone faced, fighting to control her breathing. Slowly, robotically, Padawan Dakar shook her head. She turned desperately to Carth, but the Captain's eyes said it all.

_It is true…._

Waves of nausea coursed through her body and that sour taste filled her mouth. She focused on her breathing to keep herself from vomiting. With a barely audible voice, Aerin asked, "How is this possible?"

Bastila moved toward her, but Aerin brought her cobalt blue lightsabers up, points toward her mentor. She didn't know who to trust. This had to be some insane dream. Cautiously, Padawan Shan inched forward toward Aerin, eyeing Malak coldly. "Padawan Dakar, it was _necessary_. After I had captured you aboard the _Dominator_, you were badly injured, your mind nearly destroyed. The Jedi Masters gave you life again…gave you a second chance."

"Wh…why didn't you just kill me?" Aerin asked, a chill in her voice…her whole body trembling.

"Padawan Dakar…Aerin, the Jedi are about _mercy_. You _know_ this…please understand…." Bastila's voice trailed off, caught between hope and despair.

"And where did…what of who I am? My _memories_? I…I am Aerin Dakar, daughter of Lord Orrin Dakar of Deralia. What of that?" she begged, still half believing that this was an elaborate hoax and that any second, Bastila, Carth, and even Malak would burst into laughter and begin to chide her on her gullibility. Surely, this was some exploitative reality show.

Cold sweat dripped down Bastila's face. "She was a necessary sacrifice. She offered her life for the Republic so that your identity would be air tight."

No, this couldn't be. Someone died to 'create' her life. She was responsible for uncounted slaughter. Aerin screamed. "No! You mean I have all of this blood on my hands? I've killed millions?"

Malak laughed bitterly. "They _gave_ you a conscience? How touching," he said, mocking her. "Revan, I was always regretful that I attacked you from afar. There have been whispers that I was _unable_ to confront you as a true Sith. Sion, Moritz, Nihilus…even your loyal general, Mai-Ly T'Sing thought this. You remember her…blonde, crystal blue eyes…. She was _weak_ in the end. She went crawling back to the Jedi after I defeated you and they stripped her of the Force."

The Dark Lord shook his head and then extended his free hand, palm open. "Now Revan…now is the time to silence those whispers. Do not worry, no one will disturb us," he said gently as if they were lovers. "We will finish this as it was meant to be in the ancient Sith tradition, master and apprentice…for the fate of the galaxy," he said, beckoning her again and Aerin felt a deathly chill down her spine.

The Dark Lord stepped forward, taking a Makashi stance, balanced, with his weapon held in one hand, low and away. Carth fired a flurry of bolts, each struck away by Malak's deft hand. Bastila launched herself at Malak, snapping her lightsaber at him with wide cuts, but he parried the blows and, with a wave of his left hand, sent her flying into Carth. All Aerin could do is watch in disbelief, her limbs frozen by horror.

Bastila crashed into the captain with a painful grunt and Malak turned toward Aerin with a smile in his eyes. Her hands shook as he charged, unable to move. He slashed at her laterally toward her belly and she forced herself to retreat a step, out of reach. This time, the Force took control of her body and she launched into gear. She knew she would have to take the initiative and decided to use Ataru. Her counterattack came down with two blue, shimmering blades, which Malak parried with a sweeping circle of his powerful weapon. With a spinning reverse kick, he connected with Aerin's chest and she flew through an open blast door, landing hard on her back. His smooth transition to the defensive Shien had countered her.

The Jedi looked up to see the Dark Lord leaping through the air, lightsaber held in both hands over his head. She tumbled backward to avoid the strike and Malak's blade bit into the metal deck, sending up a shower of sparks. Aerin could see Bastila and Carth disentangling themselves and move to the door, but a wave of Malak's hand closed the portal in their faces.

Aerin focused herself and hurled a wave of the Force at her opponent. Malak grunted as the translucent power slammed into him and he staggered back a step. He steadied himself and switched to Juyo, spinning his blade so fast it looked like a red circle in front of him. His cold, yellow eyes twinkled. "You are but a shadow of your former self, Revan."

"Don't call me that!" she hissed and thrust both her weapons at his throat.

Malak dodged under the attack and cut at her leg, but Aerin somersaulted over his blade, landing beside him. As she turned to attack, Malak's elbow found her neck.

Aerin gagged, dropping one of her weapons and holding her throat. She wobbled backward, trying to hold her guard. Like a ferocious tiger, Malak strode forward…bold, unafraid. This was the power of Juyo and he was a master. He beat her blade to the side, toying with her. "I will start a collection of your body parts. Perhaps a hand…maybe a foot?"

They exchanged another series of blows, Aerin constantly backing away…step by step, until she met the wall. In desperation, she switched to Shien just to hold him off, her feet shuffling backward to keep her balance. Malak stabbed at her fiercely, intent on skewering the Jedi through the heart and Aerin bladed her body, kicking her left leg backward. The lethal ruby blade missed her by a centimeter and punched through the bulkhead and Aerin yanked Malak's head into the wall.

The Dark Lord grunted at the impact as Aerin cut him down the back, leaving a black streak down his red body suit. He turned sharply to face her. "You always were a tricky one, Revan, but I have made many modifications to my armor since we last crossed blades."

At that, a blast door hissed open and a golden, double-bladed lightsaber sailed through the portal and slashed into Malak. He howled in pain and the weapon spun through the air back to Bastila's hand. "This is not over, Malak," she called as she charged at him, Carth rushing in behind her. This was a welcome relief for Aerin and she recovered her guard.

The unexpected assault took the Dark Lord aback and he retreated out of the chamber, parrying Bastila's fierce strikes. Padawan Shan was a blur of movement, spinning and flipping through the air to get at her enemy.

In the other room, Aerin scooped up her second weapon and rushed forward. In a brief moment, she made eye contact with Bastila and her mentor shook her head. Aerin's jaw fell open. What was Padawan Shan thinking? Then, with a wave of Bastila's hand, the heavy door slammed shut down between them and Aerin crashed into the metal barrier.

Padawan Dakar quickly wiped the blood from her split lip and hammered at the door with the pommels of her lightsabers. What was Bastila doing? Was she mad? She could not hope to defeat Malak alone. Aerin was about to thrust the blades through the metal when Carth grabbed her.

"We've got to go!" he yelled.

Aerin turned, nearly striking him down, but held her deadly blades centimeters from his head. The hot energy cast a blue glow over his features as he stood there, unblinking. It seemed like he would welcome death.

The Jedi glanced about, a crazed, feral look in her eyes. They had to save her mentor. "No…Bastila…we must-"

"Go!" he yelled, roughly yanking her tattered robes toward the exit.

Aerin followed reluctantly, looking over her shoulder at the blast door as they fled, hoping beyond hope that Bastila would emerge. They ran for all they were worth to the turbolift and Aerin jammed the security spike into the data port and the lift rocketed to the hangar. The door opened and they sprinted to the _Ebon Hawk_, where Mission and Canderous waited on the boarding ramp as HK covered their approach.

"Move your asses!" yelled the mercenary impatiently as they ran.

Mission smiled broadly until she saw their faces. "Aerin, what's wrong? Where's Bastila?"

Carth shoved everyone inside the ship and slammed the hatch control with his fist. "She didn't make it. We have to go," he said in a deathly cold voice, his teeth gritted.

Horror crept into the Twi'lek's face and she looked to Aerin for guidance, but there was none. The Jedi had nothing left to give. She saw the young girl's pained expression. "We lost Kyle too," Mission added sadly. Then the Captain's voice echoed from the forward corridor.

"Mission, get up here; you're my copilot! Canderous, Ergeron, get up in the turret! Jordo, keep this tub flying!" Aerin started to move, but Mission moved ahead of her. She then realized that Carth had not asked for her help. She backed against the wall, unable to move as the waves of nausea returned.

As the Mandalorians raced to their stations and Jordo sped aft, Mission quickly touched Aerin on the arm, but the Jedi merely blinked. Aerin looked down at her friend, but her mind spun. She tried to speak, but the words would not come. She saw the Twi'lek inhale deeply and then sprint forward as the ion engines hummed to life.

**In the Cockpit**

Carth jammed the throttle forward, nearly throwing Mission to the deck, but the girl pulled herself into the right seat and strapped in as Aerin had taught her. The _Ebon Hawk_ burst out of the hangar bay, leaving a long ion plume. Turbolasers along the surface of the _Leviathan_ flashed and a bolt slammed into the shields of the _Hawk._

Carth jammed his foot down on the port thruster pedal while turning the yoke to the left. The _Hawk _rolled violently counterclockwise, straining the inertial dampeners to the limit. The captain grunted as he tightened his abdominal muscles, but his vision began to gray. He then pulled back on the yoke and stomped on the starboard thruster pedal, sending the _Hawk_ in yet another direction. All he could think about was how to survive.

"Mission…set the hyperdrive…get us…an…escape…solution," he ordered, straining with every breath.

Mission fought to raise her arm as her body was subjected to forces five times standard gravity. Even in space, inertia could be painful, especially in the artificial gravity of a vessel.

Another bolt connected with the nimble ship and sparks flew in the cockpit. Mission squinted as she saw the shield readout drop, but she continued to press buttons on the hyperdrive control. "What's wrong…with Aerin?"

"Not now, dammit, not now!" Carth hissed. "Are we ready?" He couldn't care less about Aerin or Revan or whoever the hell she was. She was dead to him.

"Go!" called Mission.

The whine of the hyperdrive drowned out any conversation and the stars grew into long, white lines. The _Ebon Hawk_ was away. Carth had his revenge and, now, he had his bitterness again like an old familiar friend.

**The Bridge of the **_**Leviathan**_

Scorch marks and debris littered the Bridge amid the broken bodies of Dark Jedi and Sith troopers. Dim lights flashed their warnings of damage to the great vessel as steam and sparks flew from conduits and consoles. A platoon of soldiers and technicians marched smartly into the battered control center and took up positions around the room. Several troopers began to move the fallen Sith to a corner and two men came across the body of Saul Karath.

"Oy, they got the admiral," one soldier, a master sergeant, voiced, looking down on the bloody carcass. "He's a mess!"

The other trooper, a gunnery sergeant, responded, "Man, this bloody war was supposed to be over in six months. Look where we are now; killing the people we were once sworn to protect," he said, irony in his voice. They picked Saul up by the arms and legs and moved him to the ad hoc morgue. They dropped him roughly on a pile of other bodies.

"This is madness. I joined Revan to bring about a new order to the Republic," complained the master sergeant as Saul fell lifelessly on the pile.

"How did we 'suddenly' become Sith? You know what _I_ think…Malak believes in that stuff a little _too_ much," added the gunny; many of the Sith troops had indeed been soldiers in the Republic forces, now led astray by the insanity of their leaders.

An officer standing nearby pointed to the two. "You men, stop jabbering. Malak has ordered us to the Bastion System; our prey has escaped there."

The men shrugged and walked over to the helm console. Somewhat unfamiliar with the system, they poked at various buttons, getting angry beeps. The master sergeant shook his head. "No, _not_ that one; that'll send us straight to Coruscant…very bad. Here's the Bastion System." The other man pressed his finger on the image of the system and the ship's mainframe began to calculate the navigational data. The master sergeant turned to their leader. "Sir, Bastion has been entered as our destination."

The gray-clad commander raised an eyebrow. "You two need to be quicker next time. Now, get back to recovering those bodies…and make sure you find Admiral Karath."

The two soldiers nodded and went back to the pile of corpses. They had already found him, but they didn't want to let that fact be known yet. They moved around, looking busy without performing any actual work.

"Damn officers," groaned the master sergeant. "Thyferra was a disaster! I heard a lot of the bean heads got promoted out of that and a few poor scapegoats got fried."

The other soldier removed his helmet and set it on a console. "Man, we are right back to square one. We fought the Republic to end this kind of crap. Watch, the next thing you know, Malak's going to appoint his valet's son as the new admiral. Mark my words."

The master sergeant shook his head sadly as he moved Saul's leg back and forth several times to appear occupied. "You know, I miss Admiral Revan. I didn't agree with _everything_ she did, but you knew she actually cared about the rank and file. Everything changed after she bit it. Now that she's gone, sentient nature being what it is, corruption sets in, the non-participants get promoted, and no good deed goes unpunished."

The gunny leaned in close, holding his hand over his mouth in conspiratorial fashion. "Hey, scuttlebutt says Revan is alive. She was that Jedi that was brought-"

The commander interrupted them. "You men, what are you doing?"

The master sergeant came to attention. "Sir, we just found Admiral Karath," he said, point to the corpse, hoping to get the commander to go away.

The commander walked over with a smile. "Good job. Take him to the Medical Bay. When you're done, report to garbage detail."

The two men nodded and hoisted Saul up and walked away. "No good deed goes unpunished, mark my words…," whispered the gunny with a nod.

The master sergeant chuckled sarcastically. "I can see delivering Admiral Karath's body taking about…say, three hours. Our shift should be over by then."

When they had gone, the commander grinned. "I'm sorry that you died, admiral, but it's also an opportunity for me. I'll soon command this vessel."

**The **_**Ebon Hawk**_

The small, battered ship sailed along at hyperspace to destination, unknown. The bridge was dark, except for dim blue and orange lights that cast sinister shadows about the deck. Captain Carth Onasi sat in the left seat, looking tired and worn. His hair hung tangled in his face and his scraggly beard glistened with perspiration. His mind was blank, consumed with his bitterness. Mission sat next to him, monitoring the instruments. Her twin lekku quivered with the stress that she was under and she repeatedly glanced at Carth, hoping for some answers.

Without moving, the Captain asked softly, "What is our destination?" He barely even cared. They could fly into a star and he wouldn't blink.

Mission tapped a few buttons on the touch screen. "Ummm, some place called Yavin; it was already in the navigation system."

From behind, T3 began to beep and whir loudly, drawing their attention. Carth furrowed his brows. "What is he saying?"

"He says it's a good place to hide out." It was Aerin, bloody and disheveled. Her voice was tremulous and weak.

The edge of Carth's lip curled up and he inhaled deeply. He fought the urge to strangle her. He activated the autopilot and stood sharply. Without making eye contact he stomped up to Aerin and seized her by the arm, dragging her aft. "I'm calling an all-hands meeting."

**In the Main Cabin**

Numb, she let Carth drag her down the corridor, where the crew of the _Hawk_ assembled in the central compartment. Jolee stood with Juhani, stroking his goatee while T3 spun around with Sasha in tow. Zaalbar leaned against a wall next to Mission as the others took seats or sat on the deck. She couldn't bear to see her friends. She couldn't face them.

She saw Canderous and Ergeron observing them and Ordo raised an eyebrow. "Lover's spat?" she heard him say.

Ergeron nodded. "No doubt some guilt over having lost the other Jedi. They should know by now, people die in war. Friends come…friends go."

Carth stepped up to the large center console as Aerin stood, gaze downward, her face burning with shame. The Jedi's state of mind was obvious to everyone; something was terribly wrong. The captain looked back at her and spoke coldly, "Are you going to tell them or should I?" In contrast to his loving tone just a day ago, his voice was full of bitterness and hate.

Aerin shook, hot, angry tears streaming down her cheeks, her tangled hair hiding her face. "No…please Carth," she stammered. She wanted to eject herself into space with the trash.

He turned back to the group. "The whole time…the whole time we are fighting the Sith and we have with us…Revan herself…in disguise," he announced, sweeping his hand toward her. She hid her face with her hands.

With the exception of Jolee, Sasha, and the droids, every jaw fell open. Canderous dropped his blaster power magazine to the floor and Ergeron slapped his head.

Carth continued, "I lay with the woman who murdered my wife, stranded my son, and destroyed my homeworld. I…I should have learned all about betrayal, but-"

"Oh, quit your whining sonny," Jolee quipped. "Malak destroyed Telos, not Revan."

Canderous stood and faced down the Republic captain. "Everyone knows that Revan demanded that only military targets be struck. Malak purposefully destroyed civilians and razed the surface of the planet. You can't blame Revan for that." The mercenary stared at the raven-haired woman for a time, unable to believe it until Ergeron nodded, confirming her identity.

Still in a rage, Carth spun about, looking for support in his condemnation of his lover. "Well, what are we going to do? How do we complete this quest with the queen of snakes in our midst? How can we trust her? Her memories and personality are a complete phony! She could snap at any second. Bastila confirmed this!"

Jolee moved forward, taking the floor. "Hey, I already _knew_ who she was when she was lying on my countertop back on Kashyyyk. It's not every day you have the most powerful Jedi in the galaxy sprawled out in your kitchen. Well, I followed my instincts and she seems fine to me…except for that annoying laugh of hers."

Juhani stood by him. "If this is true…you saved me on Taris," the Cathar said directly to Aerin. "I followed your example to become a Jedi and I shall follow you now."

Zaalbar bowed. "My lifedebt is to the person you are now, not to the person your were before."

Taking her turn, Mission nodded hopefully. "Seems to me that your memories make who you are real…and if you remember only being Aerin…no problem for me."

Canderous and Ergeron drew their vibrodaggers and held the weapons to their chests, points down. "Revan, your command of warfare was the finest we have ever seen," voiced Canderous. "You beat the most powerful force the Mandalore could field and slew him in single combat. You are worthy to lead us into any struggle and against any foe. We are your men until the end, Revan."

The words of support rang hollow and Aerin watched Carth pace like a tiger, a disgusted sneer growing on his face. She wanted him to be as he was…to see his smile and feel his touch, but he pointed accusingly at her. "I don't _believe_ this. Is there no justice? We take the biggest mass murderer in history, tune her up, dust her off, and now everything's peachy? Now, _she's_ the victim? Ohhhh, poor Revan. Why don't we all just give her a big, wet sloppy kiss and call it even? "

"I thought that was your job, Republic?" quipped Canderous snidely.

Carth howled and started at the big mercenary, but Zaalbar held him back. Canderous returned the sneer.

This had to end. This had to end now. Carth's scorn ripped her heart in two and she could bear it no longer. All of the dreams for family and future came crashing down, shattered like a porcelain doll under a hammer blow. She looked to his face, hoping to see a glimmer of love. She wished with all her heart now that she had let him say what he had to say. Maybe, it might have made a difference. All she saw in his eyes though was hatred and bitterness set in a face as hard as stone. As a clamor broke out, a woman's voice sounded over the din. It was unrecognizable, but somehow, she knew it was her voice. Although barely above a whisper, the Force swirled the words to every ear in the room. "There will be no more blood spilt in my name…no more fighting for my cause…no more hatred inspired by my deeds."

Revan's hand brought the emitter of her lightsaber up beneath her chin and her thumb grasped the activator.


	5. Through the Looking Glass

W/N - Thank you very much, Jen. Your comments are greatly appreciated. We added about 10 pages of material to the draft, really trying to bring out more emotional content. The title comes from one of my favorite authors, who wrote my namesake, Alice in Wonderland.

Other malarkey - I was beat after getting home, but we went to Iaido and Kendo. I held my own against a Sandan opponent and sensei gave me a private lesson on how to change angles at close range to throw your opponent off, striking with _hiki waza_, or while disengaging. We practiced the _Tohoh_ arts in Iai, going over _gyakugesa_ (say that ten times fast), _shihogiri_, and _kissakigaeshi._ I was in command yesterday and put out fires from morning until evening. I took a break to go to the range with some team mates, shooting a SiG-Sauer 9mm, Glock 22 .40, Colt M1911A .45 ACP, and...a S&W .44 Magnum that nearly knocked me over. My friend Jill is painting our bedroom and bought us a new comforter. We bought more paint and are going to get dirty tomorrow after church.

**Through the Looking Glass**

_If you believe in me, I'll believe in you.  
__Lewis Carroll – Through the Looking Glass_

**The Ebon Hawk**

Aerin didn't care anymore. All she wanted was the embrace of death, a relief from this madness and suffering. She didn't ask for this. She didn't want this. Though it was not her intent, she had betrayed her lover and broken his heart. He deserved far more than the sorry likes of her could give him. As her lightsaber touched her chin, Carth flew through the air, seizing the weapon in his hand. The blue blade shot upward just past Aerin's ear and burned Carth's hand near the emitter. He crashed on the deck, lightsaber in hand and then blinked hard, looking back at the stunned crowd. Aerin slumped to the deck, nearly comatose, whispering softly to herself. Her faculties had left her.

Mission and Juhani rushed to her while T3 let out a long, "Dwooooo," to let everyone know of his concern. They picked the incapacitated Jedi up and carried her toward the women's quarters as Aerin continued to mumble to herself.

The dour captain stood there while Aerin was carted out of the room, leaving her lightsabers lying on the deck. Jolee stooped over and gently picked them up for safe keeping and then hustled over to the women's room.

Juhani and the big Mandalorian carried the raven-haired Jedi to the bed, but old Bindo pointed over to the tub. "Put her in there," he suggested. "Some water will do her good."

Aerin thrashed about as they set her down in the white porcelain tub and Juhani put a pillow under their leader's head while Canderous turned on the tap. Mission and the Cathar gently removed Aerin's robes amid the rushing of warm water and Jolee turned away. She felt the water caress her body. It felt good. It felt like her old self. Yes, it was all a bad dream. She was still Aerin Dakar of Deralia. It would all be okay soon.

"You two young ladies keep an eye on her," the old Jedi said. "She's not in her right mind. We don't want her…of anyone else for that matter to get hurt." Then, he pulled Canderous out of the room.

Absentmindedly, Aerin reached her hand out and a bottle of Taresian Ale flew to her fingertips. She looked at the label and started giggling uncontrollably. It had been a gift to her when she won the dueling championship on Taris. "It was a very good year," she whispered sarcastically as she opened the bottle. She looked over to Mission and Juhani, who stared back at her, obviously afraid. Aerin's expression told them not to interfere and she downed the bottle in one, long drink. At first, there was a nice, warming feeling followed by a dizzying and numbing effect – just what the doctor ordered. Her hand moved again and another bottle flew to her. "Keep em coming, bartender," she said to an imaginary person. "This girl's not a cheap date."

A day passed with Aerin occupying the tub in the bathroom, now filled with empty bottles of Taresian Ale and other spirits. Warm water caressed her body, numbed by alcohol and temporary madness. Her weapons had been placed in a locked container and Mission and Juhani watched her around the clock. The normally carefree Twi'lek was looking worn from the responsibility of caring for both Aerin and Sasha.

Aerin's hand reached clumsily down to pick up a bottle and guide it to her lips. Taresian Ale spilled down her chin onto her chest and then dribbled down into the water. "But I remember that," she mumbled, slurring her words. "My father… the Academy… duty, honor, loyalty…."

She looked over to Mission, who was seated on the toilet, watching her. Aerin scowled. "It's all a crock!" she yelled, hurling the bottle to the floor, shattering it. "Mission, run while you still have your life and sanity." She could see tears flowing down the Twi'lek's face, but she didn't care. She wanted Mission to just cut her throat and be done with it because she was too cowardly to do it herself. However, such a pathetic creature as her should live with her shame and crawl into the darkest hole, never to be heard from again.

Another day passed as they neared Yavin. Aerin spoke to herself in an odd, sing song voice. In the tub, her skin was now pickled and wrinkled and she shivered from the chill, her teeth chattering between nonsensical speech. Mission tried to rouse her with some food, but Aerin just smiled with bloodshot eyes and continued jabbering.

"…everybody hates me, think I'll eat some wo – o - orms…."

The Twi'lek left the meal on the floor and walked sadly away. She went to Zaalbar and T3 as they worked on the ion engines. Aerin's Force powered ears could just make out what they were talking about. "Z, we gotta do something." The girl told the Wookiee. "Aerin's in bad shape. We _merely_ lost that crappy planet of ours…she lost her whole identity. You gotta help me think."

Zaalbar woofled some ideas and T3 beeped and buzzed his support. Mission kept shaking her head. "No…no… too weird…hmmm, I dunno. It's our best bet though." Aerin couldn't hear what the idea was, but she didn't really care unless they meant to put her out of her misery. She tried to keep a memory of her childhood alive in her head and convince herself that it was real. She remembered the love and happiness that her parents had given her. She almost smiled until the realization that this was someone else's memory returned to her. Who was the real Aerin Dakar? She gave her life so that the vile creature in the tub could have a second chance. _She was a better woman than I_. Her hands shook again and she closed her eyes to shut off any more tears. She gulped down more ale and felt numb again.

**Two Days Later**

Aerin vacantly pushed her hand through empty bottles, searching for one with a bit of ale. She could barely see as her vision was so blurry from intoxication. Unable to find one, she mumbled some curse. Bleary eyes searched around the room until they found a single bottle on a shelf. With tendrils of the Force, Aerin pulled the glass container toward her and a disturbing smile creased her lips.

A cry broke her concentration and the bottle fell to the floor, shattering glass and spilling brown liquor on the tile. Aerin cursed again and the crying became louder. "Momma!"

Aerin gasped. Her bloodshot eyes focused on a blonde girl and a fuzzy realization formed in her head. "Sasha," she whispered. The Jedi saw the girl moving toward her, but the broken glass was in her path.

"No!"

In a millisecond, everything came into focus and her limbs coursed with energy. With inhuman speed, Aerin flew from the tub and scooped Sasha up, oblivious to the shards slicing her own feet. Aerin left a bloody trail of footprints as she cradled Sasha in her arms. "I'm sorry Sasha…I'm so sorry. Your parents died because of me…my arrogance. I am not worthy of your love." It was as if all of the horror of the last few days vanished as she gazed upon her daughter.

The girl looked into Aerin's eyes, not fully understanding. "No…I love you Momma."

Aerin's nostrils flared and she choked on her emotions. Tears fell like rain upon the little girl's face. "Sasha, I'll make this right." Carrying the girl, she walked on bloody feet into the engineering room, water dripping down her body. Nothing else mattered now. If she had only one thing left to fight or live for, it was Sasha.

Carth, Jolee, and Canderous stared at the strange sight. Aerin looked at each one of them in turn. "I'm back in the fight," she said, her voice clear and powerful. From the entryway into the room, Mission and Zaalbar watched. They gave each other a high five as T3 spun his head.

**The Spaceport of Dreshdae on Korriban**

On the ancient home of the Sith Lords, the _Ebon Hawk _vented steam on one of the landing platforms. The egress hatch opened with a hiss and the team emerged into the dry heat of the Korriban sun. Aerin looked up to see that the star was not overly bright, looking much like twilight on other worlds. A hazy film of dust sat in the air and Aerin wiped a coat of particles from her face. She found she already hated this world before she got off of the platform. Well, this was not much better than the space station above Yavin, cold and dark that it was. At least they got some fantastic items from the proprietor there and found passage for the other prisoners they rescued from the _Leviathan_. Above all, he gave her the name of a good contact.

She looked back to the group to see that Carth skulked in the rear, far away from her. For a moment, she thought about poor Bastila. She had to be dead – another sacrifice on Revan's altar of vanity. It was too late to save her mentor, but she could complete this damn quest in her memory.

"Thank you for coming to Dreshdae," a voice called, getting her attention. She looked over to see an Ithorian in a gray uniform sauntering up. "It will be twenty-five credits…wait a minute, isn't that the _Ebon Hawk?_"

"Uhhh, no," said Aerin. "Why?" she added suspiciously.

"Well, I could swear that she was…I mean, I'd remember the fastest smuggler in known space. You know," the Ithorian said, tilting his wide head, "I'd give a break to the owner of the _Hawk_. I wouldn't charge them anything."

Aerin thought about it for a second. "Well, in that case, she is. I can't be too careful, you know."

The Ithorian seemed to smile. "I totally understand. Have a wonderful Korriban day."

The Jedi forced a smile, thinking about the irony of his farewell. A wonderful Korriban day was like a Coruscant forest. Still, he seemed genuine and she found that she liked him.

They walked out of the space port to hear yelling. Aerin looked about to see a man in a gray uniform cowing three civilians. His voice was high and shrill and he wore his black hair slicked back. She immediately found him annoying and walked up to get a better look at the situation. He seemed to sense her group and turned to her as if distracted. He looked down his long nose at her as if she were vermin. She realized that this was the look that Carth had given her the last few days.

"What are you looking at, worm?" he said in his shrill voice. She was really starting to hate Korriban now. She'd been through worse scrapes than this and self-preservation was not real high on her list at the moment.

"Who are you? What's going on?" she asked, not backing down. This seemed to shock him and his expression softened somewhat.

He snorted. "_I _am Shaardan," he said as if she would immediately recognize the name. When she didn't respond, he continued, "_I_ am a Sith student," he added, waiting for another response.

"And?" Aerin asked with a shrug.

He looked at her like she was crazy, which she was, and he just shook his head. "Well, my students are the most pathetic beasts of burden one could find in the known galaxy," he said, pointing at the three civilians. "I should just…," he began before a malicious smile came over him. "I know…I want _you_ to decide their fate," he told Aerin. "Should I turn them inside out?" he asked, eliciting horrified gasps from the three.

Out of the corner of her eye, Aerin saw Mission put her hand on the butt of her pistol, but she waved the girl off. The Jedi looked at the Sith square on. "Why? What good would it serve?" She hoped he would just back off and that she could save these people. Then, she remembered that she had been given a phony conscience. Did she really feel empathy for them or was it just Master Vandar's program that was playing out. She was truly no better than a droid.

Shaardan rolled his eyes. "It would be fun. Don't you understand?"

"They're just a waste of time and energy," she said, feigning disinterest. "Just let them go."

"Pah, fine," he said, spitting at her feet. "I've lost interest anyway, thanks to you." He snorted and stomped away. "Don't cross my path again, worm."

She bared her teeth at his back. "I wouldn't count on it," she whispered.

**At the Czerka Store**

Carth couldn't believe it, another Czerka Store. These things were like a bad fungus, sprouting everywhere. He watched Aerin go in and felt loathing and revulsion every time he thought about her. But, he couldn't help but think about her. He kept trying to recall every instance in which he encountered Revan to confirm that Aerin was indeed the fallen Jedi, but he realized that he had never seen Revan's face. He had no idea what his former commander looked like up close. He saw her back when she first took command of the Republic Fleet – young, skinny, raven hair in a pony tail. He sort of saw her profile before the invasion of Malachor. He saw her from afar when the Mandalorians surrendered on Coruscant. He just couldn't be sure. After all, Aerin moved differently, spoke differently, and thought differently. But was that just the phony personality that the Jedi imprinted on her?

Then, he heard contentious voices in the shop and rushed in to find Aerin facing down three Sith students. They waved medallions in her face and one petite blonde woman poked Aerin in the chest. "Why shouldn't we just kill you? We're Sith students after all."

Carth put his hand on his pistol. If they attacked, he had to intervene – not because he cared about her, no, but she was essential to the mission. At least that is what he told himself. To his surprise, Aerin laughed and answered, "Because I'm funny," she said, looking down on the much shorter Sith.

"Funny _haha_ or funny _strange_?" the blonde asked.

"A little of both."

The blonde poked Aerin again and Carth could tell Aerin was restraining herself. He could tell this about her. There was a funny way in which her nose would twitch. The blonde lifted her chin up. "Well, tell us a joke then. If I laugh, I won't rip your heart out."

Aerin smirked. "Three sentients enter the Miss Galaxy contest – An Ithorian, a Wookiee, and an Ughnaut…,"

Carth rolled his eyes, stifling a belly laugh. She told him this one before and yes, it was damn funny.

**The Cantina**

Aerin needed a drink. She missed the numbness of a drunken stupor and realized that feeling anything was downright unpleasant. She sauntered up to the bar and plopped down on a stool. She felt a presence to her side and turned to see Carth. Her heart jumped.

"I always got a kick out of that joke," he said. "You handled yourself well, back there."

She realized that it was the first time he had spoken to her in days. "Thank you," she said evenly, trying to hide her feelings. "Care for a drink? I'm buying."

He nodded and took the stool next to her. She motioned to the bar tender. "Give me your strongest drink and whatever the man wants."

The Rodian came up and looked her up and down. He paused for a moment as if he recognized her. "Why, of course. Drinks are on the house for you, lovely lady."

"Do I know you?"

He scratched his chin. "In a manner of speaking, yes. We can't talk right now, but come back later. It'll be worth your time. I am Mika Dorin."

She recognized the name from the proprietor on Yavin and thought about it as he slid her glass of _Ajunta Pall_. What did she have to lose? She downed the glass and that warm, loving feeling spread throughout her body. Why would anyone want to be sober?

Mika leaned in close and whispered, "You're going to want to meet with that woman there, Yuthura Ban. She will be the key to your journey here…Revan."

Her gut tightened at the sound of that name and she saw Carth recoil. He grunted and slid off of the stool, leaving without looking back. Aerin's heart sank a bit, but she knew she had to focus. "What can she do for me?"

"You'll have to find a way to get into the Sith Academy. It is very important for your return to power."

She wasn't sure if she liked the sound of that or if she could trust the Rodian. He seemed to sense this and added, "I am your loyal supporter." Aerin nodded and slid off of the stool. She tilted her head, thanking Mika and walked over the female Twi'lek sitting in a booth, nursing a drink. She saw that Yuthura had an array of bizarre tattoos covering her face and arms. This was somewhat intimidating to her, but she forced herself to stand before the woman. When Yuthura looked up, Aerin realized that she would need some sort of cover – after all, Malak knew her by name now.

"Greetings, Master Ban, I wanted to introduce myself and request entry into the Sith Academy. I am Mistress Selwyn, a former Jedi," she said with a bow and flourish. She knew the Sith favored the bold and ostentatious and timidity would get her nowhere.

Yuthura smirked and Aerin could tell that she was intrigued. "You're awfully brave, Mistress Selwyn or whatever your name really is." At first, Aerin feared that she might have known the truth, but Yuthura continued, "Why don't you have a seat?"

Aerin sat down and gave the Sith her full attention. She didn't thank her, knowing that Yuthura would think her somewhat arrogant. This is what she wanted – to put the woman off guard and give a false impression. The Twi'lek looked her over carefully. "I sense enormous potential in the Force within you," Yuthura said evenly. "However, I cannot let you in without a medallion."

Aerin recalled the medallions that the blonde woman, named Lashowe, and her friends waved in her face. "How can I get one?" she asked boldly.

"Straight to the point, I see," Yuthura said, her eyes revealing some grudging respect. "We Sith are all about strength and power. Without power, you are at the mercy of lesser beings. You are enslaved to their will and this is unacceptable," she said, her voice rising in pitch and power.

Aerin sensed that there was something dark behind Yuthura's words, something in her past. She filed it away for later use. "Indeed. So, about my question…."

"Ah, yes…," the Sith said, smirking again. She looked cautiously at Aerin as if studying her. "Something tells me I should turn you away, but I can't help thinking that our destinies are intertwined. Well, Mistress Selwyn, your boldness impresses me. Since we Sith value raw power above all, you will have to take a medallion from someone who has one. When you have one, come back and speak to me."

It was Aerin's turn to smirk. She recalled seeing some Sith students bullying passersby in the hallway. "I'll be back soon."

**Korriban - the Sith Academy **

Getting a medallion from the group of Sith students was like taking candy from a baby. Aerin's power had grown considerably since her study on Dantooine and she overcame the four bullies without drawing her blade. When she returned to Yuthura Ban, holding four medallions, the Sith Master raised an eyebrow. The next thing she knew, she was taken into the dark halls of the Sith, there to learn the secrets of their power. In a large, circular training hall, she knelt with four other Sith students before Master Ban. Aerin glanced from side to side to see Shaardan, Lashowe, some guy named Mekel who convinced a prospective student to starve himself to death, and a meek looking guy.

Yuthura stood over the new students and bellowed, "Let me introduce Master Uthar Wynn, the Superintendent of the Sith Academy. Bow to Master Wynn," she ordered the students. Aerin prostrated herself to the tall, pale man with a shaven head. He too, had bizarre tattoos and sickly yellow eyes.

"Welcome to the Sith Academy," he said warmly in a voice rich in timbre. Aerin mused that he could be an excellent greeter for a game show. He moved his hand slowly in front of him in a welcoming gesture. Could someone this nice be so evil? She thought briefly of fallen Bastila and knew that her mentor would never approve of her joining the Sith like this. Well, no matter now. Master Wynn looked at each of the students in turn and Aerin got a chill when they made eye contact. "Shaardan, Lashowe, Mekel, Kel, and Selwyn," he said, addressing them, "you will each have the opportunity to be the one student selected to become a Sith. You will be in competition with each other and, should one of you die, take comfort in the fact that you made another student stronger." Aerin furrowed her brows. Maybe he wasn't such a sweety after all.

The students bowed again and Master Wynn continued, "As all good prospective Sith, you are encouraged to have an entourage of servants – the weak must serve the strong. However, they cannot assist you directly in any of the training objectives. Your power must be developed individually as it will become yours and yours alone. Once again, welcome…servants will now show you to your dorm."

Two servants came to each student and carried their bags to the dorm. Aerin half expected some posh collegiate sorority house, but was disappointed to find a room with bare stone walls with a chilly draft. A desk and toilet sat exposed in a corner – privacy was nil. The servants put her bags near a closet and bowed. "Mistress Selwyn, shall we summon your entourage?"

She thought for a moment. "Yes, find Carth, Juhani, and my droid, Tee Three and be quick about it," she instructed, talking as a master speaks to a slave. They scurried off and she noticed a large stack of books on her bed. She sat next to them, feeling that the mattress was rather worn with a divot in the middle. She furrowed her brows, thinking that the mattress was old enough for her parents to have been spawned atop it. She compared it to the luxurious bed in the Ocean Spray Hotel on Manaan. It seemed like a lifetime ago since she slept on that bed with sheets that had thread counts to die for. Her mind wandered to the warm body that came with that bed and the night that she and Carth made love before they left that planet. She closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around her body, pretending that it was he that held her. She could feel the soft sheets under her back for a moment before she remembered that the bed now came with too much baggage. She sighed and opened her eyes to see the stack of books.

On top of the stack was the lesson plan. She looked the document over and noticed that she had three days to learn the Code of the Sith along with the lengthy rules of behavior. She had a strange feeling of déjà vu and knew, in the back of her mind, that she helped to create this code.

"I could pass this test now," she muttered as she perused the pages of rules. What the heck? She also noticed the dress code and opened her closet to see a set of black robes and a collar. She shrugged and changed quickly, hanging her old robe on a hanger. She moved to go and find Master Wynn. After all, he'd be impressed that she learned all of this crap in less than an hour. As she got to the door, in walked Carth and Juhani, followed by T3. Carth had that annoyed look that she knew so well – his jaw was tight and his pupils were shrunk to pinpoints.

"What's this all about?" he asked, sucking his teeth. "You some kind of Sith now?"

Aerin summoned the strength to face him. She wasn't all that sure why she wanted him here other than if anyone could keep her on the light side, it was him. "In order to find the final Star Map, I have to be here," she said, offering them seats. Juhani sat, but Carth remained standing, arms crossed. "I am told that I may have…assistants. I _need_ your help. I cannot do this alone. I am sorry to have to ask this, but you will have to behave as my servants."

Carth recoiled, rolling his eyes. "Oh, screw this. I'm outta he-"

"Please…," Aerin said. "Don't make me beg. This is necessary." She wanted nothing more than for him to walk across the room and touch her face. Then, she would take his hand and hold it to her cheek with her eyes closed and feel his warmth. Her eyes misted, but she choked down any tears.

The captain sighed and made a mock flourish. "Well then, your highness, I am at your service," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. This was going to be the toughest time in her life, cooped up with a man who detested every fiber of her being.

"Thank you," she said, careful not to provoke him further. "One of you may take the bed. I'll sleep on the floor," she added, taking her lesson plan under arm. "I have to pass my first test. I'll be back shortly."

Carth bared his teeth at her. "Take your time. We're not going anywhere." His tone was like a dagger in her heart.

**The Tomb of Tulak Hord**

A week had passed since Aerin came to the Sith Academy. She was still pleased with herself for impressing Master Wynn with her recitation of the Sith Code and rules. In a short amount of time after that, she unwittingly aided Lashowe in gaining some points with the master along with some other misadventures that netter her points of her own. For that one quest, she had to kiss Lashowe's ass and found it very tedious. There would be a time when Lashowe's ass would get kicked for sure. Later, during one study session, she had the opportunity to talk to Kel Algwinn, the meek looking student and found that he was not suited for the Sith Academy at all – he had a conscience. Perhaps they might be able to help each other out in this little shop of horrors.

Master Wynn came to visit her one night, still impressed with her feats. He offered her a unique chance to further her reputation by cleaning out the Tomb of Tulak Hord, an ancient Sith. Apparently, a miscreant had taken up refuge there and needed to be removed. Aerin was on it and took her entourage out at first light. They ventured into the valley that she was becoming to know quite well. She recently helped some Sith dropouts to escape, claiming that she had killed them to the master. She also freed some rogue droid, trapped in the Tomb of Marko Ragnos. If there was anything that Korriban had an abundance of it was dead people.

At the entrance of the Tulak Hord's tomb, Aerin pointed to a shady spot. "Set up my camp here," she directed her entourage. Juhani set about putting up a tent and Aerin added, "I'll be entering the tomb. Wait for me here." She walked under the massive stone ledge leading to the great doors of the cavern where a Sith stood, obviously conflicted by some inner turmoil.

"You okay?" she asked, leaning in towards him.

He took a step toward the door and then a step back. "I…uhh…I'm suppose to go in there," he said in a tremulous voice. Aerin felt a bit annoyed – it seemed as though more than one person got this trusted assignment.

"Well, worry no more. I'm going in there," she said, walking past her. Again, he took a step forward and then a step back.

"Uhhhh…Mekel went in there hours ago and hasn't come out," the man said, shuffling one foot in the dust. Aerin sighed. Great…a third person.

"Don't wait up," she said and used the Force to open the door. The entryway and corridor beyond were covered in dust except for where she saw footprints. They had to be that weasel, Mekel's. She hurried along, hoping to catch up with him and be the first to clean out the tomb. She just wanted to finish this training and find the damn Star Map so they could get off of this world. The constant Sith dogma was becoming tedious. The footsteps led to a stone door, which was easy to open. Maybe this would be anticlimactic and she could go back to bed. She stepped in and saw something move above her head. She wondered why the Force didn't warn her as a stick slammed down on her. The world went black.

**Deep in the Tomb**

Aerin's head throbbed and she tried to rub the knot on her scalp, but her hands were tied behind her. "What the…?" she began before a man's high-pitched cackling caught her attention. She looked over to see an ancient man with white eyes and sparse white hair, giving him a ghoulish look. He wore the tattered uniform of a Sith Master and she noticed a lightsaber at his belt. Then, she saw the sadistic student, Mekel, bound and gagged and chained to the stone wall.

"You're awake, my pretty," the old man said. "Let me introduce myself – I am Master Jorak Uln, the former Superintendent of the Sith Academy," he said, letting venom fill his words.

"Whoa, whoa…," said Aerin, "I'm not here to hurt you, master. Why don't you just let us go," she added.

"What fun would that be?" he ranted, hurling spittle from his lips. He broke out in a mad cackle again, clearly unhinged. "After all, I want to hear the two of you scream and beg and grovel." He pointed to Mekel and electricity arced into the young man, who shrieked in pain. He turned back to Aerin. "Now, let's play a game. I have been meditating on the nature of the Sith. It seems that you want to be one pretty bad or you wouldn't be here. So, to help your studies, I will ask you some questions. Answer correctly and I zap poor Mekel," he said, eliciting groans and whimpers from the Sith student. "Answer incorrectly and I zap you."

"Do I have a choice?"

"No."

Aerin looked over to Mekel and he looked in bad shape. Blood ran down his face and he hung limply by his wrists. She remembered feeling that helpless recently. "What happens if I win?" she asked, stalling for time.

"Then, my treasure is yours," he said, cackling again as if that would never happen.

"All right, what's your question?" she asked, thinking that Mekel couldn't take much more. She had an alternate plan and hoped that Mekel had the strength and good sense to aid her.

Master Uln smiled, showing a jack o lantern grin with missing teeth. "Your best friend comes upon a powerful and unique item. He turns his back on you to examine it. What do you do?"

Oh, this was going to hurt. She made eye contact with Mekel and hoped he got the message. "I help him figure it out."

Uln's face scrunched up as if he had eaten a lemon. "What?" he shrieked, casting spit in the air. "What kind of Sith are you? He raised his hand and Aerin could see the lightning coming at her in slow motion. She rushed into it, letting the dark power slam into her. It hurt as bad as Saul's torture on the _Leviathan_, but she grit her teeth and smashed into the insane Sith with her shoulder. Master Uln went down and Aerin kicked him in the gut and then used her mind to fling a vibrodagger at his belt across the room, cutting Mekel's chains.

She looked over to see Mekel start to run and her heart sank, but he did a double take and leapt at her, using the vibrodagger to slice her bonds. She turned back to see Jorak up and a red lightsaber blade slashing down at her head. Her eyes widened and she dodged under the cut. The Sith pressed on and thrust at Mekel, using a savage attack from Ataru. The young man stumbled as he tried to draw his own weapon and Aerin used her mind to deflect the thrust. In a split second, her lightsaber was in her hand and she went on the offense, using Makashi, hoping the precise style would provoke Jorak into a mistake.

He backed up, alternating between attack and defense, keeping up with Aerin's series of cuts and thrusts. He was good, an experienced fighter. There was one thing that Aerin noticed thought, he was breathing heavy. Age had caught up to him. She switched to Ataru, using her intense athleticism to dart about, attacking from all angles. She rained blows down upon him until she could see his arms strain to defend himself. Then, she let her blade drift to the right, giving him an opening. A mad grin came over his face and he lunged forward, taking advantage of the gap. In a flash, Aerin moved out of the way and raked her blade across his belly, spilling his innards into the dust.

The mad master staggered forward and fell to his knees. He seemed to sense the end and stretched out his neck. Aerin raised her weapon. "Through victory, my chains are broken," she said and thought she saw the man smile before her blade clove through his neck.

Mekel bowed before her. "I'm sorry…I'm so sorry. I was so afraid. Thank you for saving me," he said, genuine tears flowing down his face. "One doesn't often find mercy on Korriban." He approached her cautiously and offered her a large tome. "This was Master Uln's book. Please, take it to Master Wynn. You deserve it."

Aerin was surprise, but pleased. She didn't expect to find a recalcitrant Sith, but her senses told her that he was not deceiving her. She gave him a Med Pac in return. "Take this. I know now, that I did the right thing. Maybe we can work together from now on."

He thought for a moment and then nodded. "I would like that. When the opportunity arises, I'm going to leave and return home. I've learned a valuable lesson today."

Aerin was going to answer, but something called to her inside her head. It was a powerful and familiar voice and she walked to a ceramic jar. Without thinking, she kicked it, shattering the clay and a cube fell out. She picked it up, admiring its beauty. It was framed in some alien metal, gold in color and its surfaces were of a deep blue, glassy material.

"What do I have here?" she asked, rotating the cube in her hand.

**The Sith Academy – Two Weeks Later**

Aerin knelt in her chamber in the Sith Academy, clad in black robes. Her hair was now blonde and layered over her dark clothing. She meditated on the Code of the Dark Jedi, her lightsabers placed on the ground, one on each side of her. Two holocrons lay before her, glowing faintly with emanations of the Force.

Aerin bowed before the holocrons, her black robes rustling with her movements. On the front of each shoulder and in the center of her back was embroidered a golden star, the symbol of the Sith on Korriban. The first holocron was a sphere, given to her by Master Zhar on Dantooine. The other, a cube, she recovered in the Tomb of Tulak Hord, an ancient Sith Master. Some unknown energy had drawn her to it and she found it, hidden in a ceramic jar.

Aerin passed her hand over the ornate cube and energy glowed within. The door to her chamber opened and Carth and Juhani poked their heads in. "Mistress Selwyn, are you retiring for the evening?"

"No, I wish to study this holocron first. You are dismissed for the night."

The captain and the Cathar withdrew amid the sounds of T3's beeping. Now alone, Aerin extended her hand and the cube floated before her, radiating an orange light. She brought her energy to bear and the light grew intense, bathing her in illumination. As her conscious mind began to meld with the device, the world around her began to fade and she could hear the beating of her own heart…the blood coursing in her arteries and the quivering of every cell in her body.

Her mind expanded and she sensed Carth and Juhani outside, along with the students and masters in the other chambers. A flood of thoughts, dreams, plots, and desires tore through her brain…overwhelming her until…silence.

She blinked her eyes to find herself seated on soft grass beneath a shady tree. The sky was nearing twilight and was filled with warm pastel colors of blue, pink, and violet with whispy clouds. Aerin noted that she was now dressed in a Deralian frock of aqua and blue, which ruffled in the light breeze.

_I…I am Aerin. I wore this to my Father's soiree. Is this a dream or is this reality?_

Aerin inhaled the scent of Deralian Jasmine in the air and ran the fabric of her clothing through her fingers. She laughed with relief.

"Oh, this whole ordeal was just a nightmare. To think that I dreamt that I was Revan, hah! In the Sith Academy no less. It must have been that bit of underdone potato." Aerin then felt a presence behind her and turned; what she saw made her blood freeze.

She was face to face with…herself.

Aerin's eyes widened with horror, but her twin merely smiled in return. Her other self was attired in an elaborate, gray uniform, covered in medals and gold braids; she bore the rank of an admiral of the Republic.

"Revan?" Aerin asked, still awestruck.

The mirror self nodded, observing Aerin carefully. "I see that I am still alive. But why the blonde hair and the strange mannerisms?"

Aerin pursed her lips, disappointed in the reality of the situation. She was merely envisioning what was in the holocron. "You…I was given a new identity. I am Aerin Dakar."

Revan sighed. "How vexing. Tell me why this happened," she commanded and Aerin filled her in on how Malak betrayed her and how she was healed by the Jedi.

"Malak," Revan whispered. "I knew he would. His power was growing beyond my ability to control him. He always believed too much in that Sith philosophy." The Admiral paused for a moment. "You acquired this holocron…. Did you kill Master Jorax Uln to get it?"

Aerin raised an eyebrow and looked as if she were trying to recall something distant. "Yes, he had been defeated and cast out by Master Uthar Wynn. Master Uln went insane and fled to the Tomb of Tulak Hord. I found him, but he captured me and…and tortured Mekel and I. It was horrible."

Revan smirked. "Pull yourself together. We must endure pain and sacrifice for the greater good."

Aerin continued, "We overcame him and he had to be slain."

"You say that with such distaste. He was an enemy who would have killed you. He was no longer serving the greater good. There should be no regrets." Revan's confidence contrasted Aerin's self doubt. The two could not be more different in outlook. Revan stood and motioned out to the setting sun. "Come, show me what else you have done to get to Korriban."

Aerin bit her lip. Suddenly, the green field unraveled in a surreal and mindbending tapestry, to be replaced by the cold deck plates of an abandoned space station orbiting a yellow and orange planet. An aged Rodian worked at a table, creating some strange device.

"We diverted the _Ebon Hawk _to Yavin, where we met that Rodian. We were able to procure some valuable supplies as well as some powerful crystals."

"Good, you'll need those to face Malak," voiced Revan, showing great interest in every word.

Aerin raised an eyebrow. "The Rodian also gave me a sympathetic contact at the Dreshdae Cantina on Korriban. The contact, a Rodian named Mika Dorin, provided me with some fantastic items and a promise of support. He said he was doing it in your name."

"Ahhh, Mika…yes. Trust him, he is loyal to me. Remember…you and I are one and, whatever your name may be now, you must accept it." Revan turned and sat next to Aerin, their arms touching. As she did so, the space station began to swirl into oblivion and solidified into the cold, stone walls of the Sith Academy.

Aerin frowned, but did not respond to the statement. "I was able to enter the Sith Academy by defeating some students who were about to kill innocent bystanders. I took their medallions and presented them to Master Yuthura Ban…she seems to like me."

Revan gave a half smile. "My, the Jedi really did make you into a do gooder. Just the same, I never agreed with the Sith idea of wanton butchery; it's plain wasteful. Sorry, please continue."

"As I was saying, Yuthura seems to have taken a liking to me. As such, I was able to gain an advantage over the other students: Lashowe, Mekel, Shaardan, and Kel. I was given a number of trials to complete to be selected as the apprentice for this group."

Revan cocked her head to one side. "Again, graduating only one student at a time…such a waste. This Master Wynn seems to have no grasp on how to fight a war. Prosecuting a successful campaign is about teamwork, not competition. Through power, I gain victory…hah. Sorry, go on."

"I was able to free a number of rebellious Sith students, release a trapped droid, save a Mandalorian prisoner, and convince a Sith ghost to rejoin the Force. There, I was attacked by Shaardan and I defeated him."

Revan nodded. "Very impressive. I'm glad I left you with the skills you needed to succeed. So, where do you stand now?"

"Yuthura told me that Master Wynn will make his final selection tomorrow, but she feels confident that it will be me. She told me that she wishes me to help her supplant him as the Master of the Academy and that I will be her new apprentice."

"You, an apprentice to some two-bit slave turned Sith Master?" Revan voiced with incredulity. "Preposterous. We must have some standards."

"What do you think I should do?"

Revan stroked her chin. "Play along, see how it pans out. If it were me, I'd put an end to their silly games, but I sense that you've lost some of our power and must be more open to…options." The admiral turned and looked closely at Aerin. "There is something else…sadness…love?"

Aerin inhaled and looked away. "It is nothing. I have lost him."

Unexpectedly, Revan put her arm around Aerin. "I…I understand. It left a void in my soul. It is too late for me, but perhaps for you?"

Aerin shook her head. No, it really was too late. She could see it in his eyes. There was still her daughter though. "I must go," she told Revan. "Master Wynn has something special planned for me tomorrow. I've been told that we shall go to the Tomb of Naga Sadow for the final test."

Revan stood and walked a few paces away. "Before you depart, let me teach you something of value." The admiral turned and ignited a ruby lightsaber. She took an engarde stance in the Ataru form, fluid and mobile.

Aerin got to her feet and powered her weapon, a blue blade hissing its power. If anyone could teach her something of value, it was Revan.

Revan smiled. "Let us make a pact; if you believe in me, I'll believe in you."


	6. Apocalypse Part I

W/N - Again, thank you so much, Jen. This is a building chapter for another climax. Sooooo, Revan tutors her new self. The sword lessons were given to me by my Maitre d'Armes d'Escrime some years ago. Engarde! Etes vous pret? Allez!

**Apocalypse – Part I**

_You smell that? Do you smell that?...Napalm, son. Nothing else in the world smells like that. I love the smell of napalm in the morning.  
__LTC Kilgore – Apocalypse Now_

**Within the Holocron**

With her lightsaber held aggressively in two hands, Revan stepped forward and delivered a downward cut, her red blade sweeping a blurry arc through the air. Aerin met the attack with her blade positioned above her head and parallel to the ground. On contact, the two weapons sizzled and sparkled in the dim light.

The background of the Sith Academy began to shimmer and faded into a forest clearing. Without reacting to the scenery change, Aerin rotated her wrist and riposted with a diagonal cut to her opponent's shoulder, but Revan lowered the point of her blade to intercept the attack. The admiral's economy of movement was fantastic; no wasted energy.

Revan pushed the Padawan back, their blades disengaged, and Aerin delivered a spinning reverse kick. Revan dodged under the arcing foot and retreated a step. For a moment, the admiral seemed distracted. As she maneuvered laterally, she tripped and lost her balance.

Aerin's eyes widened with the opportunity and she advanced, striking downward at her opponent's head. Revealing her deception, Revan easily recovered and parried the point of the blue blade just above her ebony hair. Revan held her opponent's point at the fattest part of her blade for a millisecond and then snapped her wrist in a circle. The ruby tip slashed downward from Aerin's chest to her belly in a decisive cut.

Aerin's mouth widened, expecting her guts to explode outward and she jumped back, holding her chest, but there was neither pain nor injury.

"You cannot be hurt in this holocron," advised Revan as she powered down her lightsaber. "Aerin, or what ever your name is, you must learn three things today: Do not waste movement. Parry just enough to deflect the attack and no more. Control the weak portion of your opponent's blade with the strong portion of yours. Above all, do not telegraph your thoughts. Your eyes and your hands give you away. You must correct this," she said, putting her arm around Aerin's shoulders.

Aerin bowed and gave this some thought, at which Revan asked, "Master Vrook, Bastila…how are they?"

The Padawan narrowed her eyes with realization. "You were Vrook's apprentice…and Bastila's senior," she said, more as a question than a statement. Revan nodded cautiously, to which Aerin added, "No wonder they _hated_ me…. Anyway, Vrook was at Dantooine when Malak destroyed the Enclave and Bastila was captured or killed by Malak trying to save me." Pangs of guilt rushed into her and she cast her gaze downward.

Revan closed her eyes and sighed heavily. Her shoulders bent and her head hung low. She now seemed exhausted. "What have I done?" she asked out loud with uncharacteristic regret. "I only sought to save the Republic. First, from the Mandalorians…then from itself. I am a fool. I am nothing."

Now it was Aerin's turn to embrace her twin. She actually felt sorry for the admiral. "For what it's worth, Revan, you were larger than life. You were a celebrity, a demon, and a goddess all rolled into one. No conversation about the Republic could be made without your name. Funny…now that we've met and I've learned that I am you, you seem so much more…human. Not the Sith Lord with flaming eyes that we were led to believe," she said with a little mischievous chuckle. She wanted to lighten the mood.

Revan's face flushed and she bit her lip. Her expression changed suddenly as if she were trying to hide her feelings. She looked Aerin in the eyes and winked. "The fearsome and vicious Revan, huh?" She touched Aerin's cheek gently. "Go, my friend. Remember my lesson and believe in us. Next time I will show you Jar'Kai, the two sword style. I will make you a master."

Aerin held her twin's hands for a moment. A strange idea came into her head. Perhaps this quest could be over sooner than she thought. "You know you could save me a lot of trouble by telling me where the Star Forge is located."

Revan shrugged with an almost embarrassed grin. "Sorry, I created this holocron before I discovered the whereabouts of the Star Forge. You'll have to find it out on your own. Oh, should you ever encounter my intelligence officer, Atton Rand, he may know many things of use to you."

The world around Aerin shimmered and began to come apart like an unraveling cloth. The forest and the grassy clearing vanished and the Padawan inhaled deeply as the holocron settled onto the floor of her chamber at the Sith Academy. Revan's cube flickered for a moment longer before becoming dark.

Aerin wiped her face and blinked several times. Since her revelation, she had not slept well and she yawned, trying to clear her head. She reached into her robes and pulled out a flask and took a long swig of Taresian Ale, letting the liquor warm her throat. That wonderful numbing feeling spread throughout her body.

"I have to get this drinking under control," she mumbled as she took another gulp.

As Aerin put the flask away, something gnawed at her. When she first utilized Revan's holocron, someone caught her attention within the Academy. Her mind brushed with another's for a brief moment and it piqued her curiosity. She left her chamber and went over to Carth, who was sleeping on a plain mattress on the floor. Juhani was already asleep and T3 was shut down, his head tilted to one side. She reached her hand out to touch him and bit her lip for a moment. She wanted desperately to feel his warmth again, but she pulled her hand back, afraid. He_ had_ to see this though. It might change everything. She tapped him with her foot.

"Captain, wake up," Aerin whispered and Carth's eyes shot open. He searched about until he saw her. She imagined a smile on his face, but she saw him frown.

"What do _you_ want, Mistress Selwyn?" he asked sarcastically.

She tried to touch him, but he pulled away quickly. Aerin sat on the floor next to the mattress and sighed. She couldn't look at him. She couldn't bear to see his scorn. "I'm sorry for who I am, Carth. I have no control over that now. I need you to come with me."

The captain rolled out of bed without a word and rinsed his mouth at the sink. He then stood there, waiting for Aerin to do something. The Padawan led the way down a long, stone hall, lit by dim lanterns. The air was still and fetid in this dark and ancient place of evil sorcery. The two looked nervously about, their minds enveloped by the festering atmosphere of Korriban. Sinister and alien voices whispered and chattered in creepy echoes along the hall, a testament to the millennia of agony and death that occurred in that foul place.

Carth loosened his collar, perspiring from the oppressive environment. "We should never have come here; you are not ready for this."

Aerin responded without emotion. "What choice do we have? How else will we find what we are looking for and end this hopeless quest?" She wanted to tell him about the holocron, but knew it would only make things worse; Carth would not respond well to her having discussions with her former self, the architect of his bitterness.

The captain sniffed the air in front of her and pinched his face up. "I smell alcohol on your breath," he said derisively. "Are you drunk?"

"Not yet," she answered, trying to hold it all together for Sasha. Thinking about the girl that she missed so dearly helped her to suppress most of her anger and shock. However, should she slip just the tiniest amount, the whole facade would come cascading down out of her in a far greater flood than when Carth had broken down…and the damage that Aerin could do if she broke. Carth shuddered. She could see doubt and even fear creep into his mind and he kept eyeing her suspiciously. Once, they may have had a future, but now, she realized that he was in league with the devil herself.

They rounded a corner and entered a library, dim and silent. Tomes of ancient power lined shelves over modern computer terminals, installed by the Czerka, a front for the Sith. A lone male sat at a monitor, studying dark knowledge, learning the ways of Sith sorcery. His dark hair was long and layered and he wore the black uniform of a Sith Force Adept. The male turned to look at them upon their entry, striking a haughty pose, chin jutting out. Aerin surmised that he was no more than 16. The boy made eye contact with Aerin, and his face registered interest in her beauty. He then switched his gaze to Carth and recognition flooded his eyes.

"Father…."

**In the Library**

Carth froze…recognized the voice. "Dustil?" The captain was confused and elated all at once. Could it be? It had been years, but the eyes were still the same. He had his mother's nose and lips too. The boy's face twisted as he flared his nostrils. He stood and turned toward Carth, body squared for battle. With a flick of his wrist, he moved his black cloak back, exposing his lightsaber. Carth's blood froze.

"How did _you_ get in here, Father? Did the Republic send you to kill me?"

Dustil's words struck Carth like a thunderbolt. "Son…no…no, I came to save you." Why did he think that? It was the furthest thing from the truth. Guilt and anguish tore through his heart. How could Dustil not know how much he had missed him…how much his soul ached for news of his son?

Dustil let forth a shrill and bitter cackle. "_Save_ me, Father…like you did on Telos? Like you _saved_ Mother? Like you _saved_ our homeworld? You brought destruction to Telos. _You_ killed mother."

The captain grimaced under the verbal daggers cast by his son. "Dustil, that's not true! I tried to save your mother. I held her in my arms as she died. I did _everything_ I could. I looked for you. Jordo, Dol Gren, and I stayed for days. The Sith must have already taken you." He imagined Morgana, crushed and dying in his arms and he shook with the horror of that scene.

Dustil placed his hands on his hips, clearly unconvinced. "And what do you think will happen now, Father? I'll waltz out of here with you and we'll be a happy family again? We'll go fishing…how about that? Well, Father, the Sith are my family now. Perhaps Master Yuthura Ban would like to know of your presence here?" Carth's throat tightened and he forced his body to stop shaking. Carth put out his hands to calm his son and he saw Aerin reach out with her mind. Coils of the Force flowed between the three, easing the animosity. Dustil quivered for a moment and then sighed. The captain was thankful for the intervention.

Carth continued, "Dustil, you've got to _know_ that the Sith are evil," he said, gesticulating with his hands. "The slaughter at Telos was their doing. They don't care about you; only their own power."

Dustil protested weakly, still overcome by Aerin's subtle power. "That's a lie…. The Sith took me in…gave me strength." His words sounded hollow to Carth. It was clear that he was thinking.

Aerin stepped forward from the shadows. The lights cast a deathly glow upon her pale skin, giving her a sinister appearance. Dustil gasped; for a moment, she looked like a ghost.

"You look like someone…I should know," the boy murmured. He inhaled deeply as the Force soothed his anger.

Carth sensed the diffusion of hostility and tried reason. His son had to understand, he had to. "Dustil…remember when we were on Telos. I could never bring you or your mother harm. Remember how I taught you to think a problem through. Does what the Sith told you match with what you know to be true?"

Dustil looked away and Carth saw him pondering what he was being told. His eyes focused as if he had come to a decision. With a flicker of defiance, he spoke, "Very well, Father. I shall remain silent for now. I still don't trust you. If what you say is true, you will prove it to me. Then, we'll talk…not before. And, Father, don't try anything funny or I _will_ go to Master Yuthura."

Carth fought the urge to go to his son…to embrace him. He had missed him so much these past years. It was like half his heart were gone. He knew that he would get what he needed to show Dustil the truth. "I'll find you that proof. Remember, son, think this through…don't just digest what people tell you."

The two departed, leaving the boy with his thoughts. Carth was shaken and struggled to control his breathing. What would it take to convince Dustil? How could they find it? Unexpectedly, he turned to Aerin. "We've got to find something we can use. There has to be a shred of the truth here in this den of lies." He had to have his son back. It was the only thing that mattered anymore in this life of pain and betrayal that he had lived.

**In the Corridor**

As they journeyed back to Aerin's chamber, a man bumped into the Padawan as they rounded a corner. The man, dressed in the black Sith uniform, bowed. "I'm sorry, I did not see you."

Aerin turned and gave the man a funny expression, wondering why he didn't recognize her. "Kel, it's me, your classmate."

Kel's eyes focused in on her followed by a meek smile. "Oh yes, I did not recognize you at first. I've been a little preoccupied."

Aerin returned the smiled at him. Kel was definitely not cut out to be a Sith; he was far too kind and trusting. She knew that he would likely die during the final test tomorrow and it suddenly made her sad. "Kel, what do you think about tomorrow's trial? I know we have all been thinking about that."

Kel averted his eyes as if embarrassed and afraid. "You are my competition. I don't know if I should be talking to you."

The Padawan nodded. She would try to engage him and get his to see his own situation. Perhaps that would save him. He was such a nice guy, he didn't deserve to come to any harm. "I understand. It's just that I have been having second thoughts about what we do here. I don't agree with everything that we are taught," she said, revealing a bit about herself, but hoping to draw a greater response.

The other student sighed with great relief. "Oh, I can't believe that you feel the same way too. I have been fighting with myself since I arrived here. I don't know how much longer I can last. Ever since Master Uthar put Lyssa to death, I…I just don't know." Aerin raised an eyebrow – Uthar put someone to death? Not such a nice guy after all.

"Who was she?" asked Carth.

"She was another student here. I recall that she and Dustil Onasi were very close. Apparently, he was told that she had resigned…that she was too weak."

Aerin looked over to Carth and could see an idea forming in his head. He had that look that she knew so well now – one eye narrowed with the edge of his mouth curled up. She sighed – what use was it now to know all of his cute idiosyncrasies? It would just serve to make her more miserable. She turned back to Kel. "Maybe we can help each other," Aerin implied. "How at can we prove this?"

Kel pointed down a long hallway and told them that the chamber of Master Uthar could be found in there. Now, she too, had an idea. "Kel," she said. "I need you to do something for us."

**Master Uthar's Chamber**

Master Uthar sat in his chamber, reviewing the progress reports of his precious students. His bald head was covered in bizarre and grotesque tattoos. He had risen in the ranks of the Sith through power and the careful manipulation of his seniors. Uthar's overthrow of Jorax Uln was masterful and precisely timed, allowing him to step in as the new Superintendent of the Sith Academy. Uthar was, without a doubt, a follower of Malak. Although he had never met Revan, he believed that she did not truly embrace the Sith philosophy as did her apprentice. To her, his beloved ideals were merely a tool. It was better that Revan was dead.

One student caught Uthar's attention. "This Selwyn Skye seems to being the most promising. However, Yuthura is much too fond of her. It could easily become a complication. However, it was disturbing that Skye spared Shaardan after defeating him in the tomb of Ajunta Pall. I am sure he will seek revenge."

Master Uthar's commlink chimed; it was Yuthura. "Master Uthar, please come to the training room. There is an issue that requires your attention."

Uthar furrowed his eyebrow in irritation. "What is it _this_ time, Yuthura? Perhaps a Snivvian has snuck into the food supply? Honestly, can you _not_ attend to these matters yourself?"

"My apologies, Master. It is about Adept Kel Algwinn. He wants to resign."

"What?" grunted Uthar. "On the night before the final trial? Fool…. I shall be there shortly."

The gray-skinned Master stood and marched out of his chamber, wearing his gray uniform. As he stomped down the hall, a form shimmered on the ceiling above and a Cathar lowered herself onto the stone floor. A second later, a small droid wheeled up to the door and inserted a long spike into the control panel. The door shot open, the Cathar snuck in, and the droid motored away.

With catlike stealth, Juhani crept around Uthar's chamber, careful to avoid any traps. She scanned a number of data pads, gathering much useful information. One data pad, covered in sheets of paper, told of a young woman, tortured to death for interfering with Adept Onasi's indoctrination.

"This is it," whispered Juhani.

Her commlink vibrated suddenly. "De reet…bleep!" Master Uthar was returning.

Juhani pocketed the data pad and tapped her stealth field generator. She scrambled up the wall just as the door opened. Master Uthar sniffed the air like a Kath Hound as Juhani clung to the ceiling. He looked about for a moment before closing the door.

On the other side of the door, Juhani's form shimmered as she inched her way back to Aerin's chamber.

**Dustil's Chamber**

Carth watched the data pad fall from Dustil's trembling hands. At first, Dustil accused his father of fabricating the evidence, but his skill with computers verified its authenticity. The data pad detailed the last, agonized hours of Dustil's friend as she begged Master Uthar for mercy. Dustil fell back against the wall and sunk to the floor. He put his hand over his face, rubbing up and down. He coughed several times until tears flowed through his fingers down his hand. He shook for a moment before he was wracked by sobs, shaking his entire body. Carth came over and put his hand on his son's shoulder. Dustil looked up at him with bleary red eyes. "How could he? I cared about her. She…she tried to warn me about this. This Sith crap…it's all a lie. It's only about power and killing."

Aerin came beside him and placed her hand on Dustil's other shoulder. "Trust me, I know all about discovering unpleasant facts."

Carth nodded. He could see a change in Dustil right away. He was just so sorry that he had to cause him this much pain to do it. "I'm proud of you, son. You thought this through. You've seen the truth."

Dustil smashed the data pad beneath his boot. The anger and power that he was taught by Master Uthar was now turned against the Sith. "What must I do?" he asked. "How can I make this right?" Carth could see a new fire in his eyes – one that could ignite an inferno.

**The Sith Meditation Chamber – Early Morning**

The cold, stark Meditation Chamber was empty except for four kneeling adepts. The stone walls were covered in horrid bas reliefs, depicting death and suffering. Crude, granite statues lined the chamber, struck in poses of agony.

Aerin knelt with her hands clasped before her. Although mildly intoxicated, she kept her balance. Try as she might, she couldn't shake the need to drink – it was all that kept her going. To her side was Kel Algwinn, bruised and burned from his discussion with Master Uthar. Apparently, he rescinded his resignation. Aerin was eternally grateful for his sacrifice and would do all she could to protect him. Across from her was the blonde, Lashowe, a fiery and aggressive adept. She also noticed that Mekel was absent. She felt good that she was able to save at least one person. She wished him the best and hoped that he would find happiness back home. To her other side, knelt Shaardan, whom she spared after a fight over a Sith sword in the Tomb of Ajunta Pall. A long, red scar ran down Shaardan's face from his forehead, past his left eye, and down to his chin, where Aerin's lightsaber seared him. He glowered at her…this would be his chance for revenge.

Kel began their chant. "Peace is a lie. There is only passion."

Lashowe spoke, "Through passion, I gain strength."

Shaardan recited, "Through strength, I gain power."

Aerin called, "Through power, I gain victory."

Together, they sang, "Through victory, my chains are broken."

At that, Masters Uthar and Yuthura entered dramatically, surrounded by swirls of the Force. The bald master swept his hand around the room.

"Today, only one of you will become a Sith Lord. The others will either die or slink away in shame. Come with me now to the Tomb of Naga Sadow," he said in his rich voice and Aerin was caught between excitement and horror. Something about all of this ceremony appealed to her and she understood how so many disaffected people came to embrace the Sith way. They departed in a grand procession to the Valley of Tombs. Sith troopers and adepts flanked the ceremonial parade with banners and shouts.

The valley was a hot, dry scar in the mountains around Dreshdae where ancient Sith Lords were entombed in the days where the Jedi philosophy was perverted and Sith sorcery was founded. Greatest of these fallen Sith was Naga Sadow, a Force user of immense power and evil. It would be within his tomb that these four would face death. As they marched along, Kel gave Aerin a grim look. Doubt showed on his face.

When they reached the great doors before the tomb, Master Uthar turned to his followers. "You four will enter the tomb. You will receive no help. Whether the others live or die is of no consequence; the first one to return to me with the Sith lightsaber is the victor."

Lashowe raised her lightsaber above her head. "I am ready!"

With that, the four walked into the tomb like the horsemen of the apocalypse.


	7. Apocalypse Part II

W/N - Thanks so much again, Jen. Speaking of casting parts, I was watching "The Cleaner" with Benjamin Bratt and the boy who plays the son would be a perfect Dustil.

Other Malarkey - I HATE painting.

**Apocalypse – Part II**

**The Tomb of Naga Sadow**

The four Sith hopefuls turned back to watch the heavy stone door close, sealing them off from the dry, festering atmosphere outside. Aerin got a cold chill in her gut with the grinding noise of the door shutting. She wrinkled her nose - in contrast, the air in the hallway of the tomb was dank and rotten smelling with an oppressive humidity. The sense that something long dead awaited them filled the area and numbed the soul. For a moment, her thoughts turned back to Carth and Sasha. She saw the look on his face when Dustil came around. It was like a part of him came alive again. It was the same look in his eyes as when they embraced for the first time. Then, she remembered the sad look in Sasha's eyes when she was told that momma would be gone for a while. She never wanted to see that look in her daughter's eyes again. All of that was meaningless now and she turned her thoughts back to the tomb.

The Tomb of Naga Sadow was rumored to house the remains of an ancient Sith Lord, who had nearly conquered the Republic 1000 years ago. As the Sith were in the throes of yet another civil war, Naga Sadow capitalized on opportunity and brought the Republic to its knees in the Great Hyperspace War.

In the dim light of his plasma torch, Shaardan immediately reached for his lightsaber, but Kel quickly raised his hands. Aerin could see that he had an important idea. "Wait," exclaimed Kel. "We'll never survive the tomb unless we work together."

Shaardan sneered, his face twisted and sinister in the glow of the torch. "I could waltz through this place in my sleep, worm." It was clear that _he_ didn't need any help.

Kel retorted, "No, you can't, you idiot. If you had studied even a small amount instead of torturing innocent bystanders, you'd know that we're facing some terrible odds here. Let's get through this…we can settle the score later."

Lashowe pulled Shaardan back a step. "The weakling is right. Let's see where this goes first." Aerin saw a sinister twinkle in her eye and she didn't like it one bit.

The tall brute grunted, crinkling the wicked scar along his face. "Very well," he declared in his arrogant, clipped accept. He glared at Aerin. "But this is not over." Deep down, Aerin was beginning to wish that she had given him more than that scar when he tried to take the Sword of Ajunta Pall from her. The four moved warily down the hall, carefully eyeing each other. As they reached the end of the long corridor, growling noises echoed toward them.

"Tuk'ata!" yelled Kel as he pulled out his lightsaber.

A large, fierce wolf leapt through the air at the scholarly Sith, but Kel threw himself against the wall, letting it fly by. More of the Tuk'ata bounded toward the four and Aerin thrust her lightsaber into the throat of a beast as it leapt at her. Lashowe and Shaardan stood, back to back, hacking at the snarling beasts. Small battles took form around the room and the Tuk'ata threatened to overwhelm them.

Aerin pulled Kel from the wall and rushed at the other Sith adepts. A tactical idea formed in her head. Was it Revan reaching out to her? "Form square! Quickly, we need to fight together."

Lashowe moved to allow the two to join and form a square. Tuk'ata assailed them from all sides, biting and howling as lightsabers raised and lowered, thrust and cut through flesh and sinew. The smell of burnt meat and hair filled the hall along with shouts and the hum of Jedi weapons.

Tuk'ata bodies began to pile up around the square and the beasts began to waver. Aerin pointed into the wide room. "Now, form a line…we need to break them." The other three obeyed as Aerin unleashed a Force Wave, hurling a mass of Tuk'ata backward, writhing and yelping. The line of adepts surged forward, points held out and skewered a number of the beasts. The Tuk'ata had had enough. They fled, whining and yelping, leaving their wounded behind.

Shaardan laughed as he speared the wounded and whimpering Tuk'ata to finish them off. "That was too easy," he quipped amid the sounds of sizzling.

Kel shook his head. "Barbarian," he whispered to Aerin. "If it wasn't for you, we'd be dead now." Aerin gave him a wan smile, appreciative of his words.

She put her hand on his shoulder in a sisterly way. "Kel, I know you wanted to leave, but you did us a huge favor. I really do appreciate it." He grasped her hand and gave her a warm smile.

"Make no mention of it. I did it for a friend."

The four then entered a large chamber with three additional exits. The sounds of fluttering could be heard high above as they crossed the room. The glow of their plasma torches flickered in the dark, casting shadows in the distance. A stillness settled in the air and the four looked about nervously, expecting an attack at any moment.

Shaardan strode arrogantly forward as the others took careful steps, turning occasionally to peer into the shadows. As they reached the mouth of the left corridor, evil whispers and insect-like chittering infected the air. Kel let out a frightened whimper as he practically clung to Aerin. She knew he was afraid and she regretting convincing him to finish this test. But, it was for the greater good.

At the end of the hall, a room awaited them. The four entered and flanked an obsidian obelisk. Lashowe stepped boldly up to the ebony pillar. She extended her hand and electricity jumped to the obelisk and a small portal opened. She reached in and pulled out a red sphere. She held it up with haughty abandon. "Well little scholar, what do I have here?"

"Don't do that!" chastised Kel. "It's a plasma explosive. Unfortunately, I have no idea what it would be used for."

Lashowe cringed at the idea that it could blow up on her and she meekly put the bomb in her pack. Plucking her courage back up, she pointed back down the hall. "Whatever, let's go." Aerin half wished that the sphere had detonated in her snarky face.

Again, they arrayed themselves in a defensive formation and crept down the hall. Shaardan covered his ears momentarily, obviously letting the noises get the better of him. "Those damn whisperings. I'll shut them down for good." They crossed the room to the opposite corridor and again found a room with an obelisk. Lashowe repeated her trick and recovered a blue sphere.

"This is too easy," exclaimed Shaardan with glee.

Aerin raised an eyebrow. He was so incredibly annoying that she'd risk his wrath to poke at him. "Don't get too _overconfident_. You know what happened the last time," she said, touching her left cheek, reminding him of the last time they crossed blades. He gave her an evil glare as he fingered the long scar down his face. Yes, it was petty, but she couldn't help herself – he was just so infuriating.

They reassembled in the central room and peered down the final corridor. Their torches seemed to dim and the temperature began to drop. There was something wrong here. Aerin could sense something ancient and malevolent and fear crept into her limbs like rotting vines.

"I feel as if something is feeding on our energy," said Aerin as she took a long drink of ale. The warmth of the liquor countered the chill in the air and a little courage returned. Even the cocksure Shaardan seemed uncertain. Aerin motioned them to reform into their defensive posture and they crept down the hall into the shadow. It was like even the sound of their footsteps was absorbed into nothingness. Kel trembled, wrapping his arm around Aerin's waste in a death grip. Her breathing tightened as he torch flickered weakly – it was as if they had entered the bowels of death itself.

**In the Valley**

Outside of the tomb, a weak sun lit the arid valley as a dry wind blew dust. Near a supply depot, Carth, Juhani, and the two droids waited anxiously and the captain sat on a crate, his emotions mixed. He forced himself to not think of her, but his mind couldn't help itself. She didn't have to show him where Dustil was. Why would she do that? Was it some trick of Revan's to drop his guard? Regardless, his son was alive and Aerin played a large part of their being able to talk again. He regretted leaving Telos and leaving his son – it was a shame that he would bear for a lifetime. Maybe they would never be a family again, so much water had passed under the bridge, but maybe, they could be friends.

"Captain Onasi, I see that you are bothered by something," said Juhani, observing him.

"Beetle bee!" added T3 as he spun around at HK's feet.

Carth sighed as he watched the Sith gathering at the entrance of the tomb. His thoughts continually flipped between Aerin and Dustil. "Juhani, I _want_ to hate her," he said, confiding in the Cathar. "She and Malak destroyed everything I ever loved…attacked everything I stood for. How can I abide by that? How can I…," he added, choking just for a moment, "forgive her?

HK stirred. "Observation: Every individual on this maniacal journey has lost everything at some point in their miserable meatbag lives. Look at the master; she lost her entire identity. Statement: You must be oh, so very special to have your tragedy so much greater than everyone else's."

Carth snorted, but thought for a moment. The droid had a grudging point, sarcastic as it might be. "_Revan_ could not have helped me find my son or have done so much to redeem him. Maybe Revan is truly dead, leaving only Aerin behind? Maybe the Jedi really closed that part of her off?" The line of thought gave him the tiniest bit of hope. But did he really want hope again as much as it had betrayed him in the past.

Juhani nodded. "She has shown much kindness to us all. I will be one to give her a second chance." The Cathar and then looked off toward and archaeological site, where Sith scientists gathered. She focused her eyes and a funny look came over her face. "I'll be right back," she uttered and walked away toward the site.

**At the Archaeological Site**

Juhani strained her eyes, trying to identify the features of the man kneeling in the dust. Could it be? It had been years so she couldn't be sure. She wasn't entirely certain she wanted this encounter, but something took hold of her body and drove her forward. She approached a man, who was lowering some tools into the ground. "Dak? Dak Vesser?"

The man looked up and adjusted his eyes, shielding them from the sun. He pinched up his face for a moment before recognition entered his eyes. "Juhani? Wh…what are you doing here?" He stood and guided her away from the others. "I thought you were still on Dantooine. Did you come for me?" he asked with a hint of hope.

Juhani shook her head sadly. She never felt the same as the man before her. "No Dak, I am here with my Master, Selwyn Skye."

Dak's face registered disappointment and he took a half step back. "I see…," he uttered, studying her for a moment. "There is something else, Juhani. I can see it. Were we not apprentices together on Dantooine for many years? I know your thoughts," he said, reminding her of the time in the Jedi Academy where they had been…close. Things didn't turn out the way Dak had wanted, but he always had a knack for knowing what was bothering her. She looked into his eyes and saw that he knew something. "Wait…you are still a Jedi," he hissed quietly. "What are you doing _here_?" he demanded suspiciously.

Dak must have joined the Sith. Was it because of her? Juhani's body shook for a second and she thought about using her light saber against her former friend. Dak turned and began walking back toward the Sith guards at the archaeological site. What was he going to do?

_He's going to turn us in_, thought Juhani as she rushed up behind him, hand on her weapon. Despite the closeness that they once shared, if she had to kill him, she'd do it in a heartbeat.

**In the Tomb of Naga Sadow**

Aerin and her three cohorts inched forward down the corridor, their breath now shooting vapor in the chill. Each one of them showed their growing terror in their eyes, big and full of fear. The hall ended in a narrow stone bridge without railings over a chasm that fell into a dark abyss. She peered over the edge and realized that she couldn't see the bottom.

Shaardan looked above and below the void and offered the first spot to Aerin. "After you, M'Lady."

Aerin raised an eyebrow, irritated at his attitude, and set her foot cautiously onto the bridge. When it seemed sturdy, she began to move ahead, followed by the rest. Shaardan began to smile as he stepped in behind Aerin, but Lashowe pulled him back again. "Not yet," she whispered. Aerin overheard this despite their caution and knew something was coming…something unpleasant.

When they had gone halfway, the sound of flapping wings began again, along with the inhuman chittering of insects. Something large swooped by, in front of Aerin and she stepped back into Shaardan. The brute nearly lost his balance and Lashowe held him as small stones fell off of the bridge into nothingness.

"Shyrack!" warned Kel, telling them of the flying predators known to hunt in the mountain caves of Korriban. Then, the chasm was alive with beating wings.

"Go by me, quickly," ordered Aerin. "Get to the other side." The narrow bridge was no place to fight a battle.

Without waiting, Shaardan and Lashowe rushed past her and sprinted to the opening. A dozen Shyrack dove on them and Shaardan flailed with his lightsaber, striking down a couple. Aerin turned and unleashed a torrent of the Force and the winged beasts slammed into the cavern wall. She and Kel charged to the other side, but a Shyrack sliced downward, leaving a gash in Aerin's back. She staggered to her knees and Kel pulled her along. Her back was a fire, but she couldn't stop now.

As the screeching of the Shyrack grew behind them, Aerin turned and hurled lightning in all directions. Shyrack sizzled and burned, smashing into the walls and the bridge before they plummeted into the depths. She stopped for a moment, amazed at her own power – no one had taught her that attack. Was Revan reaching out to her?

As they all reached the other side, Lashowe looked curiously at Aerin. "That is a decidedly _Sith_ power. Maybe you were meant to be here after all."

Aerin ignored her and continued on, her mind searching for answers as to how she was able to do what she did. Such a power was usually known only to Sith masters. They came to a door with a complex locking mechanism and Kel started to work on it. When it would not open initially, he brought out his study manual and read it under the dim glow of his torch. As he found some passage in his book, he smiled.

"Here it is," he advised as he set back to work on the lock. "Work smarter, not harder," he quipped to Shaardan. Aerin had to admit that Kel was brilliant and he was a welcome presence in the dark void.

The door opened up and a foul, rank odor filled the hall. Their torches dimmed and smoky black tendrils of evil wafted forth. The hair on the back of Aerin's neck stood up and a nauseating feeling swept over her. As she took another swig of ale, a familiar sensation took hold. At the moment, all she wanted was to be back in her tub, drowned in a drunken stupor.

She took a step into the massive chamber and saw a dark, smoky mass of undulating fumes. Her eyes widened and vents of steam shot from her lips. As the others gathered around her, a second mass appeared.

"Tarentateks…." she whiepered, her gut tightening and her blood freezing in her veins.

Aerin felt as if the Force was becoming mute within her and the others noticed it as well. Then, the two masses moved at them, dark fumes swirling like a maelstrom. Lashowe attempted to channel the Force for an attack, but only tiny sputters of electricity popped along her fingers.

Aerin pulled Kel to the right. She remembered fighting the one on Kashyyyk and the tactics that they had used. However, now there were two. "Keep moving! Don't let them pin you down. Attack from different angles," she yelled and ran past the monster, slashing it with both of her lightsabers. The beast clawed at her, but she darted away and Kel ran past on the other side, weapon cutting away part of the Tarentatek.

Lashowe and Shaardan took the cue and ran in different directions, cutting and thrusting. The second beast flailed in both directions, seemingly confused. Shaardan saw the monster stagger and he stood his ground, hacking away. In anger, the Tarentatek backhanded Shaardan and the Sith flew backward, landing hard on his back. The beast stomped toward him to finish him off, but Lashowe ran by, cutting deep into its leg.

As the first beast howled its unearthly howl, Aerin dodged under a massive claw that swept over her. She started a thrust with both weapons, but a second claw struck at her legs, forcing her to flip backwards. The dark monster lunged at her and she sidestepped, looking for an opening.

Kel slashed at the Tarentatek's flank and it shrieked. It turned and kicked at the scholar, but he dove out of the way, exposing its back to Aerin.

Aerin shook her head, thinking back to the fierce battle in the underdeeps of the forest. She recalled a plucky Twi'lek hunter and how he had fought and died to bring down this kill. "I know this is stupid, Komad, but what the hey," she said, remembering Komad Fortuna's bold, but lethal move on Kashyyyk.

Aerin dashed up the beast's back, her feet kicking up dark fumes from its body. It shrieked again and flailed its claws upward. A claw tore across Aerin's left arm and she howled in pain. She couldn't falter now. She grit her teeth against the agony, and with a shout, the Jedi drove both of her lightsabers into the back of the Tarentatek's skull, sending a shower of black blood sizzling into the air.

Nearby, the second beast staggered from Lashowe's cut, but bore down upon the petite blonde Sith, towering over her as if she were an ant. She looked up into the hideous visage of the monster, swathed in evil fumes, and she screamed.

As Lashowe envisioned her death, Aerin leapt from the first, dying Tarentatek. Padawan Dakar spun through the air, lightsabers sizzling. Blue blurs pierced the darkness, intersecting with the throat of the second beast. Black blood sprayed on the ground and she landed next to Lashowe and turned her weapons off. Behind her, the second Tarentatek wobbled and then crashed to the ground.

As the monster spasmed, they all breathed a sigh of relief. Aerin winced from the pain of her wound, but she could not draw upon the Force to heal her. Kel rushed up and applied a medpac to her flayed back and arm and cleaned up some of the oozing blood, leaving large claw marks down her bare skin.

As Lashowe and Shaardan rejoiced in the victory, claiming it was theirs, Kel took Aerin over to two ancient skeletons. "Selwyn, I found something important - These bodies are Durron Qel Droma and Shaela Nur, the lost Jedi of the Great Hunt. I quickly scanned their data pads and it indicated that Durron was killed by these Tarentateks and Shaela was determined to extract revenge. She blamed the third Jedi for Durron's demise."

Aerin sat beside the bodies. She knew what he was referring to and who the third Jedi was – another tragic story on this tragic world. There was probably no hope for them either. "Well, he's dead too. We found his body on Kashyyyk."

Kel glanced over at the slain Tarentateks and shuddered. "So, _that's_ a Tarentatek. They still look horrible, even when dead." He glanced at Aerin for a moment, his expression awestruck. "These monsters slew two of the most _powerful_ Jedi of the time and you went through them like a hot knife through butter." She could see his eyes searching hers, wondering what she was made of.

Aerin took Shaela's necklace and put it on. She knew what he was looking for and she had to divert any attention. "Well, I had you, didn't I…and those buffoons," she told Kel, pointing to Shaardan and Lashowe. This elicited a laugh and she knew his line of questioning was distracted. "Come, let us put these two souls to rest properly. We'll carry their gear to honor them."

She and Kel then took up the things that the Jedi hunters had left and rejoined the group. Shaardan looked at them mockingly.

"The Tarentatek ground those pathetic Jedi into dust; you should leave them there in the dustbin of history."

Aerin ignored him and proceeded ahead. It wasn't worth a response. Beyond the grand chamber was a large cave with a clear pond. Aerin looked around, peering into the darkness with her torch, which reflected off of the liquid.

"There's no way around; we'll have to go through the pond," she said.

As she began to step forward, Kel pulled her back. "Wait," he warned and then threw an empty bag into the pond. Immediately, the leather pack began to sizzle and disintegrated into bubbles. "Acid…."

Aerin sighed with relief. She was just about to put her foot in the liquid. "Thanks."

"Okay, what are _you_ going to do then?" whined Shaardan, rolling his eyes. Aerin had seen this type far too often – the do-nothing bully who rose through the ranks by letting others take the risks. He was contemptible. Ergot was cut of the same mold and she was glad that he met justice. There were many others, but she couldn't quite picture their faces, only hear the mealy-mouthed, kiss-ass platitudes that they would give their superiors, hoping to gain promotion for themselves. Then, a realization hit her like a bolt of lightning. These were Revan's memories – the line between the two of them was breaking down. She gasped, trying to shove the pictures and sound from her mind, but another voice came through – agonized screams and pathetic wailing – it was Bastila, she was alive.

Kel cleared his throat, breaking the bond for a moment. Aerin turned and watched him think. She was really beginning to admire that brain of his. He put his finger to his chin and then pointed to Lashowe. "Toss the blue sphere into the pond."

Lashowe gave him a disdainful expression, but hurled the sphere. As it contacted the acid, the entire pond froze solid. Aerin and Lashowe's eyes widened in wonder and Kel gave them a smile. "You guys need to study more." Aerin grinned and touched his hand. When this was all over, she was going to invite him along – they needed someone like him.

Excitedly, Shaardan rushed across the frozen pond as the rest followed. He opened a stone door and darted in. A featureless stone statue dominated the room and in the crook of its arm lay a Sith lightsaber. Shaardan bolted up upon the pedestal and seized the weapon. He raised it triumphantly above his head.

"I have the lightsaber! I am the new Sith Lord," he proclaimed, dancing like a child. Aerin pursed her lips. So what? He could have it.

Aerin and Kel shrugged. "I didn't really want it anyway," Kel voiced.

As Shaardan danced about, Aerin looked around the circular chamber. Something called to her, something familiar.

_The Star Map…I know it's here._

Aerin sighed, knowing that they had completed another portion of the quest. The futility of it all was beginning to haunt her soul. She needed another drink before she could continue. Let Shaardan have his stupid Sith lightsaber. She could care less. Let Carth have his son back – he deserved as much. All she wanted was another drink. She let her mind wander as she put her beloved flask to her lips and let the warm liquor pour down her throat. Ahhh, its embrace was becoming better than any Carth had to offer. She closed her eyes for a moment, letting Shaardan gloat in his victory – she didn't care. Then, there the sudden hiss of a lightsaber and a cry of pain. She turned around and saw Shaardan standing behind Kel, holding him by the neck and she dropped her flask to the ground, letting its priceless liquid spill out. The red blade of a lightsaber protruded through the front of Kel's chest. Aerin couldn't believe her eyes. _No, he can't die. I convinced him to stay. I took my eyes off of them for only a second to take a drink. It can't be. _

Shaardan unpowered the weapon and Kel collapsed to the floor, coughing up blood. He advanced toward Aerin as Lashowe moved to Aerin's flank, lightsaber powered.

With a sneer that crinkled his wicked scar, Shaardan growled in his clipped accent, "And now it's your turn, worm."


	8. Apocalypse Part III

W/N - Thank you very much again, Jen. I did make that mistake on the Tomb and fixed it. In the next chapter, many destinies will come together. The throw that Aerin uses is _kotegaeshi_, an Aikido throw. She also slides further to the dark side.

**Apocalypse – Part III**

**Outside The Tomb of Naga Sadow**

In the Valley of the Tombs, Sith Scientist Dak Vesser walked toward the gathering of troops and Juhani dashed up behind him. What did he plan to do? She couldn't undo what was done all those years ago. She couldn't give him what he wanted.

"Dak, please wait."

The scientist stopped and sighed. He turned slowly around to face her. He closed his eyes as if imagining some far off place. "You know how I longed to hear you say that?"

The Cathar bit her lower lip. Even though this door was closed, she needed some answers. "Dak, I need to know, did you leave Dantooine because of me?"

Dak opened his eyes and then looked away, biting his lip. Part of her wished that it could have been. It would have been easier. "Yes…yes. Juhani, I…I loved you."

Juhani inhaled deeply, her face scrunched up in concern. She knew it in her heart, but she had to hear it. There was so much guilt that she had to face…her parents, her planet, her people, and now, Dak. "Dak, please…whatever you decide to do, do it for yourself, not because of me. You owe it to yourself. Dak, you were a good Jedi. I remember how kind you were. You don't belong here." Even though she would forever be a slave to her past, it didn't have to be the same for him. He could be free.

Dak turned bright red at Juhani's words. However, his thoughts were interrupted by a Sith sergeant, who approached the pair. "Is everything okay?" the soldier asked. Juhani's gut tightened and her hand snuck down to her lightsaber.

Dak turned and focused his eyes on the sergeant. "Umm, yes, yes, everything is fine."

The Sith nodded curtly and went back to his business. Dak fidgeted about for a moment and then looked Juhani in the eye. "Very well, Juhani, whatever your secret is, it will be safe with me. I don't want to know," he said grimly.

The Cathar touched his arm briefly. She was grateful that he would keep their secret. "What will you do now?" she said with genuine concern.

The scientist shrugged. "I'm not really sure; seeing you really threw me for a loop. I just know that I will not stay here. You should probably leave me alone."

She knew it was for the best. She thought about the friendship that they had back at the Academy. He really saw the best in her and got her through some of the darkest times in her life after Revan had saved her on Taris. She was consumed by anger and bitterness over how her people were butchered, but Dak showed her kindness and forgiveness. She only hoped that he could forgive her now. Juhani nodded sadly and turned to go. "Good luck, Dak, and thank you."

As the Jedi walked back to her friends, a strange feeling came over her. She looked around the desolate valley, but nothing stood out. What she did not see was that, rrom behind a stack of crates peered a purple Twi'lek. The man's eyes widened as he watched her and his breathing quickened. A Mandalorian mercenary came up from behind the Twi'lek and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Xor, what are you watching?" the mercenary asked.

The Twi'lek shook his head, but a crazed look had infected his face. "Nothing, Jagi. It's nothing at all."

**The Tomb of Naga Sadow**

It was all Aerin's fault – she brought Kel into this, she let her guard down to get drunk. Waves of anger tore through Aerin as she watched Kel writhe on the ground. Shaardan watched her expression with glee as he moved toward her, lightsaber held aggressively. He took a stance from the Makashi Form and made several cuts through the air to demonstrate his skill. He waved Lashowe to Aerin's flank, and she too took a Makashi stance. This style was taught to all the basic students and was very effective against a fellow Jedi.

"You didn't have to kill him, Shaardan. This was not his fight," shrieked Aerin, barely controlling herself. Her mind was like a white hot poker – a fire that would burn them all.

The brute cackled. "Oh, but it was. _Anything_ that hurts you is part of my fight."

Aerin's mind raced and bizarre and dark images tore through her mind. A wild and crazed look came over her face and she laughed, a strained high-pitched laugh.

Lashowe stepped forward and aimed a precise cut at Aerin's head. As the red blade came down, Aerin's mind created a barrier of Force before her. Lashowe's lightsaber clashed upon the barrier and sparks flew into the air. When the smell of ozone cleared, Aerin stood unharmed. Lashowe stepped back, eyes wide; Aerin's blonde hair was beginning to turn raven black.

Shaardan launched a flurry of strikes, coordinated with Lashowe's next attack. Red blades rained down upon Aerin and the Padawan acrobatically dodged, twirled, and sidestepped the two Sith, using the defensive Djem So style. As quick as they could attack, she met each cut with a small, elegant parry, conserving every motion. His impatience growing, Shaardan switched to Ataru, letting his fury take control. She could see that he was hoping to overwhelm her defense. He cocked his weapon back and strode forward, shouting as he attacked. As Aerin ducked under Shaardan's massive horizontal cut, she swung her leg backward over her head, kicking the Sith in the face.

Shaardan staggered back, wiping blood from his nose. He shook his head and glared at Aerin, whose face was entirely impassive…her body rock solid.

The Sith grunted and launched a new attack, screaming with every cut. She could tell he was getting anxious and sneered before launching his next move. He was letting her know when he would come. In contrast, Aerin's moves were fluid and controlled, her hands moving only slightly to intercept the heavy hacking cuts of her two opponents.

_Do not waste movement…do not telegraph my thoughts._

Aerin spun out of the way as Lashowe charged past, cutting empty space. She turned to face her enemies and squatted down on her back leg, angling her weapons over her forward shoulder. It was time to take the offense. Her movements and techniques were from the Juyo Form, one of the most aggressive and advanced Jedi combat styles.

The bravado began to drain from Lashowe's face, but Shaardan was oblivious. Aerin's hair was now as black as the darkest night…black as the void. Concern and even fear crept into Lashowe's eyes.

"Sh…sh…Shaardan, we…we should rethink this," the blonde stammered.

Shaardan chuckled in disbelief. "What are you _rambling_ about? I promised to make you my apprentice, didn't I? Now attack."

Lashowe inhaled and hesitantly thrust her weapon at Aerin's throat. The Padawan turned and arched her back, allowing the point to pass centimeters from her neck. Dropping her weak hand weapon, Aerin smoothly grasped Lashowe's wrist and turned her own hip, propelling the Sith forward. Aerin then reversed her hip while twisting Lashowe's wrist upward. The blonde cried out as she flipped, head over heels, her wrist bones snapping like twigs. Controlling Lashowe's weapon hand, Aerin used her opponent's own lightsaber to slice through Shaardan's wrist as Lashowe smashed into the stone floor.

Both Sith howled in pain simultaneously. Shaardan's hand and lightsaber fell to the ground and he grasped his stump with his left hand. Aerin stepped past him and then spun, slicing away his left foot. The brute collapsed, writhing in agony as Lashowe rolled about, stunned.

Aerin unleashed a maniacal cackle as Shaardan crawled weakly on the ground. "Who's the worm now?" She felt no pity, no mercy, only a dark malevolence in her heart.

The Padawan brandished her lightsaber at Shaardan and he raised his good hand as if to beg for mercy, but Aerin lopped it off with a single cut. The maimed Sith screamed again as Lashowe staggered to her feet. The blonde Sith looked at Aerin with fear.

"Revan," she whispered through terrified lips. Aerin found that she liked the fear in Lashowe's voice. She understood Revan's thoughts now.

Aerin turned to the injured Sith, who was holding her broken wrist, and gathered her energy. Swirls of the Force shone about her head and she let loose a horrible, piercing scream that cascaded down upon Lashowe, turning the Sith's hair white. Lashowe tore at her own face with her nails and ran from the room, gibbering insanely, leaving her cohort. Aerin picked up the prize Sith lightsaber that Shaardan had dropped. She wiped the burned flesh from the handle and held it out to the fleeing Lashowe.

"You forgot something. Didn't you _want_ this?" Aerin said blankly. She wanted to laugh at the irony of the whole thing.

She powered the blade and the ruby beam shot forth and gazed at it as if studying it. What did it all mean? Was this trinket worth so much? She admired the crimson glow of the weapon, thinking it like the color of blood. She turned to Shaardan, who was gasping on the ground, writhing like a worm.

"Revan, no, please…spare me. I did not know who you were."

Aerin stood over him. Poor man, he had the prize in his hand before she cut it from his grasp. Maybe he deserved it after all? She had a change of heart. "Shaardan, you earned this. Please, enjoy your victory," she said mockingly as she rammed the blade through his heart into the floor. There, the lightsaber remained, suspended above Shaardan's body by the red beam of energy.

The Jedi closed her eyes for a moment to rest, but then opened them. In her fury, she had forgotten someone and she rushed to Kel. She knelt down and cradled his head. Why was destiny so cruel? Of anyone, he did not deserve this. "No, Kel…I am so sorry. Please, hang on," she cried as she tried to draw upon the Force, but his wounds were too grievous. Aerin shrieked in frustration. She was the queen of fools. "Oh no, I caused your death."

Weakly, the scholar put his hand on her face, leaving a bloody handprint on her cheek. "No…no," he whispered, focusing his eyes on her. He gave her a smile that would be seared into her memory. "You have brought me life. I go to rejoin the Force. Rejoice."

Then, he was gone.

Aerin gulped hard and her body shook as she fought her inner demons. She tried to stand, tried to get up, but her legs buckled. She put her hand over her mouth several times, trying to say something to Kel, but her throat was frozen in inner agony. Then, she wrapped her arms around the man and rocked back and forth, only able to hum a vacant tune as she wept bitter tears. "It's my fault," she whispered, over and over. "If only I let you go…if only I didn't take that drink." Slowly, she folded Kel's arms over his chest. When she was done, she stood and seized the lightsaber that was stuck in Shaardan's chest and clipped it to her belt.

The Jedi then looked around and let her instincts guide her. She was drawn to the stone statue that stood over a massive sarcophagus. With a broad swipe of her two weapons, she shattered the ancient Sith figure. Chunks of stone scattered through the room, clattering on the ground. Through the broken statue emerged a sharp metal flower that opened slowly to allow light to fill the room. The light blossomed to become a translucent globe with bright points scattered throughout.

_The Star Map…. Oh my, we have all the coordinates to the Star Forge now._

She should have felt elated, but there was no feeling left in her. There was only one thing left to do here. Mechanically, Aerin moved to the sarcophagus and tore off the stone cover with her power, revealing the dry husk of Naga Sadow. The Jedi pocketed the Sith Lord's treasures and pulled the body out, casting it roughly on the floor. As the skeleton fell, brittle bones shattered and bounced away. Now, the great Sith was just a pile of dust.

Aerin then levitated Kel's body into the empty sarcophagus and arranged him with dignity. She bit her lip as she closed the lid, watching his body disappear under the heavy stone. With a wave of her hand, the inscription on the stone door shimmered, changing from Naga Sadow to Kel Algwinn. She hoped his words were true and that he would be at peace, a peace that he deserved.

Aerin walked as if dazed back to the frozen pool of acid. There, stood Uthar Wynn and Yuthura Ban with Lashowe cowering at their feet. The white-haired Sith continued to gibber incoherently, pointing at Aerin with unbridled terror in her eyes.

The Padawan shrugged as she presented the lightsaber to Master Uthar. "She kind of lost it in there."

Yuthura smirked and released Lashowe, who ran babbling from the tomb. Master Uthar shook his head sadly. "The quality of students has declined, I'm afraid…except for you, Selwyn Skye," he said, using her alias.

Aerin bowed and Uthar smiled, his white teeth contrasting with his gray skin and Sith tattoos. He motioned for Aerin to rise. "And now it is time for you to complete one final test to become my personal apprentice," he commanded as he gently stroked Aerin's cheek where Kel's bloody handprint was. Yuthura's face began to show concern.

Master Uthar continued, "Now, _kill_ Yuthura Ban."

The gray-skinned Twi'lek stepped back, her face twisted in shock. "What? Why you…," she blurted at Uthar in anger, her hand reaching down to her lightsaber.

The Master chuckled, seemingly unconcerned. "Why Yuthura, you don't think that I haven't noticed your growing ambition? I am a master of the ways of the Sith; I know we must compete to remain strong."

Now it was Yuthura's turn to chuckle. Her face changed from shock to bravado. "I survived enslavement by the Hutts; I did not overcome that and escape to be erased by the likes of you now, Uthar. You didn't think _I_ had planned for this moment? Let me tell _you_ something, Uthar, Selwyn is with me," the Twi'lek stated boldly, looking at Aerin. She then raised an eyebrow and cocked her head as if wondering about something. "What happened to your hair…you use to be blonde."

Aerin shrugged. "Don't worry about it. I am with you, Yuthura," she said in a robotic monotone.

The Twi'lek smiled as Uthar took a step back, powering his red lightsaber. He crouched low to the ground, taking a defensive stance from Djem So. He looked at both of the women facing him and then laughed, not at all concerned about the double cross. "I see…the way of the Sith is alive and well. Excellent…we will be made stronger regardless of the outcome."

Uthar moved to prevent the two from attacking him at once, his feet shuffling to avoid tripping on the terrain. With a hungry smile, Yuthura lunged at her master, delivering a slashing downward cut. He parried, riposted, and continued to circle, keeping Aerin away and unable to intervene. Aerin continued to move laterally, frustrated at Uthar's skill, but hoping for a decisive opening. Although Uthar was not the quickest nor the most physically powerful, his mastery of the Force and of excellent lightsaber technique had been lethal for years.

He beat Yuthura's blade upward and struck with an uppercut. The Twi'lek arched her back as the ruby point sizzled by. As she tried to recover her balance, Uthar hurled her aside with the Force. In mid air, Yuthura repositioned herself and landed on the wall with her feet. She pushed off and propelled herself forward at her master.

With her point held out, she growled gleefully, but Uthar created a barrier of energy before her and she slammed into it like a bug on a windshield.

Without another thought, Uthar smoothly transitioned to the aggressive Juyo and launched himself at Aerin and she batted away a flurry of blows, retreating quickly toward the wall. As the master ran at her, Aerin accelerated toward the wall and ran upward, flipping herself over him. If she timed it right, she just might get behind him.

As she landed, Uthar hit her with a wave of lightning, orange and white bolts of electricity streaking into her. Aerin cried out as her body jerked about. She jammed her eyes shut to fight off the pain. Uthar moved to finish her, but Yuthura flung her lightsaber at him and he was forced to deflect it away. Uthar grunted and turned back to kill Aerin, but she had scurried away. She gave herself some distance and recovered her guard, but her body hurt like crazy.

Using Ataru, Yuthura rushed at the master, cutting at his midsection. Uthar lowered his weapon to intercept the attack. The blades met and Uthar cut over Yuthura's point in an attack known as a coupe. His blade came down at her head and she parried upward. As their weapons met again, a whirlwind of Force swept the Twi'lek into the air and slammed her into the wall. Aerin watched this, wondering how they were going to overcome his awesome Force power.

Aerin drew the Force into herself to heal her many injuries and she moved cautiously forward to face the Master. Her body felt energized, but they hadn't even scratched Uthar. He shook his head mockingly and strode across the frozen acid to meet her.

"You are very skilled," he commented dryly. "It was too bad we could not come to an agreement, but I cannot trust you now."

He wound up for a powerful cut and delivered a downward stroke. Aerin brought both of her weapons up to meet the attack, crossing her blades. As the lightsabers met, Aerin drew one arm back to initiate her own attack; she held Uthar's point with the fat part of her blade. She now had a distinct advantage of power. However, Uthar raised his wrist, revealing a disruptor tucked under his arm. There was a muzzle flash and a beam of light sliced through her chest, streaking out her back.

Uthar followed up by casting her away with his power and Aerin landed near Yuthura in a heap. The Padawan choked on her own blood and raised her arms weakly. The dirty bastard had cheated, using a disruptor on her.

The master put his hands on his hips and laughed. He seemed to sense her dismay. "Why would I fight fair? Through victory, my chains are broken."

**Outside the Tomb of Naga Sadow**

Carth and Juhani sat on the crates, waiting for any word regarding Aerin's trial. "I feel so helpless," commented Carth, worry filling his voice. He sighed – he wanted to thank her for helping him find Dustil. Now, it might be too late. He thought about her bright gray eyes and her electric, toothy smile and found himself missing them.

Just then, a white haired woman ran screaming from the tomb entrance. The Sith guards rushed over and brought her to the ground as she tore at them to get away. "She'll kill us all," the woman wailed, gnashing her teeth.

Juhani stood and focused her catlike eyes on the scene. "That looks like that shutta, Lashowe, but she's a blonde."

"I think it _is_ her," commented Carth. "We need to see what's happening." Why was Lashowe emerging and not the others? Where were the other three? He strode off toward the group with Juhani and the droids in tow. Then, the guards rushed into the tomb.

**In the Chamber of the Acid Pool**

As Uthar moved triumphantly toward the dazed women, Aerin weakly reached out and opened Lashowe's discarded bag. One dirty trick deserved another. With bloody hands she removed a red sphere. Uthar's eyes widened in horror.

Aerin smiled, finding satisfaction in his shock. "There is no death…. There is the Force." One good cliché deserved another.

She chucked the grenade near the master and he tried to grab it with his mind, but she and Yuthura blocked him. He dove toward the sphere, sliding on the ice to knock it away, but it detonated, sending streams of hot plasma in all directions. Uthar cried out in pain as his skin burned and he scrambled to his feet, smoking with hot fumes.

"You will pay!" he screamed and he gathered his power to unleash on the women, but the frozen acid began to crack. Uthar looked down just as the ice splintered beneath his feet. The master plummeted through the melting acid and bubbles roiled up around his body, sizzling and smoking. After a moment of thrashing, a skeletal arm broke the surface and then disappeared.

Again, the Force poured through Aerin and she climbed painfully to her feet. The sound of a lightsaber made her turn to see Yuthura coming at her. She had saved the Twi'lek's life – why was she attacking?

"I can have no challengers," the Twi'lek called as she delivered her attack.

On pure instinct, Aerin dodged and spun her legs, tripping Yuthura. Aerin's legs wrapped around the Twi'lek's ankles and she forced her opponent to the ground. Yuthura crashed down on her face and Aerin sat up, laying her lightsaber near the back of Yuthura's neck. The battle was over before it really began.

Aerin's face was full of insane rage and she giggled in near incoherence. The ungrateful shutta, she should kill her out of principle. Yuthura saw this with horror, but she lay on her belly, helpless, wrapped up in Aerin's legs. Padawan Dakar sneered and cut down at Yuthura's neck and the Twi'lek screamed.

Then, there was silence as Aerin unpowered her weapon. Yuthura gasped; she was unharmed.

Aerin willed the Twi'lek's weapon to her and released the Sith Master. As much as she wanted to, she couldn't find it in herself to finish the deed. "I cannot kill you," she said, but she certainly wanted the woman out of her sight. "Find some meaning and redemption for your life away from this place, for it will bring you only death. Go, and know you have received mercy from Revan." Saying the name in reference to herself came as a shock. Part of her found it familiar and satisfying.

Yuthura blinked and stared at the Jedi for a moment. "You're alive? You were redeemed by the Council…."

"Not willingly, but it has been done," Aerin commented in a faraway voice. She was about to dismiss the woman, but a lesson needed to be learned. She powered one of her weapons and sliced off the tip of one of Yuthura's lekku. The Twi'lek winced in pain and Aerin added, "Although I will spare you, I will leave you with a reminder of the cost of crossing me." Aerin knew that Revan would approve of this and it brought her joy.

Then, a feeling from the Force passed through her and she looked over to see the hall filling with Sith adepts and troops.

A Dark Jedi stepped forward and took in the situation, observing the two women. "I received word that Master Uthar may be in need of assistance."

Yuthura stood and faced the man. "We have a new master; Revan has returned."

The Dark Jedi's eyes widened above his gray mask. He glanced around the room and saw no sign of Uthar. He studied the women facing him, cueing in on their poor condition - multiple injuries, bruises, and blood.

"No," he said to Yuthura, "_I_ am the new master. Men, kill them."


	9. Apocalypse Part IV

W/N - Thank you so much, Jen. You are a wonderful reader. A number of destinies intersect here and we wanted to write a stand up land battle and show Revan's skill at strategy. We'll also look deeper into HK. We'll look a bit at the Shien style of combat. I can understand the exhaustion of swinging a sword for a while and your arms do feel like lead.

Other malarkey - We practiced _tameshigiri _today, cutting small rolls of newspaper with _shinken,_ the sharpened steel katana. I had two crappy cuts and four nice ones, getting a clean slice with a nice _thwop!_

Dewa, jaa mata ato de.

**Apocalypse – Part IV**

**Outside The Tomb of Naga Sadow**

Carth's gut tightened – something was definitely wrong inside the tomb. He saw Uthar and Yuthura enter earlier and now Lashowe came running out of the tomb, screaming like a rancor was on her heels. He noted that the woman's hair was now white and she was all but incoherent. Carth and Juhani sprinted over to the tomb entrance as Lashowe fled toward them. The captain grabbed the terrified Sith. "What happened in there? Where's Selwyn?"

Lashowe's eyes were still crazed, unfocused and darting back and forth, and she foamed at the mouth, casting spittle in his face. "Revan has returned from the dead; she'll kill us all!" Once, she had idealized the conqueror, even meeting the Dark Lord once, but knew of her power and feared it. The Sith student began thrashing and screaming again until T3 stuck her with a needle and filled her with a tranquilizer. The woman sagged in Carth's arms and he laid her on the ground. She would be of no further help here.

HK's eyes flashed. "Inquiry: Are we just saving her to kill later?" he asked hopefully.

Juhani shook her head and motioned everyone into the tomb. "I just hope Canderous and rest come through on time."

Carth made eye contact with her. They had made a plan, but there were many moving parts in the idea. He nodded to the Cathar. "And Dustil…."

Time was of the essence and they scrambled down the dark hallway, T3 shining a bright light ahead. In the distance, they could hear blaster fire and the sound of humming lightsabers. In his heart, he knew Aerin was in deep trouble. Part of him wanted to let her perish here, an end appropriate for the great traitor, Revan. He slowed for a second and then realized that he couldn't let it happen. With a conflicted grunt, the captain waved HK ahead. "Go, the master is in danger!"

**In the Tomb of Naga Sadow**

Now was his moment of glory – the master was probably being ripped to shred, her guts hanging out like stuffed sausages, her eyes burned like toasted marshmallows. He could save her. The droid's eyes flashed and he sprinted forward on tireless legs with T3 rolling behind. HK crossed the bridge at a full run and sprinted past the slain Tarentateks without so much as a glance, so focused was he on saving his master.

The droid could see that the Sith were packed into the hallway leading to the acid pool and firing volleys at Aerin and Yuthura, who were whirling their lightsabers, deflecting bolts with the Shien Form. He switched to infrared targeting and his enemy glowed in green and yellow.

HK relayed a series of beeps to T3 and the little droid whirred. This was going to be so much fun, he could barely contain himself. The carnage! The screams! His circuitry was alive with anticipation. HK hurled a pair of grenades down the hall as T3 shot a cloud of noxious fumes into the Sith force. The spheres erupted into light and fire as yellow-green smoke engulfed the Sith. Screams, coughing, and shouts of confusion drowned the hallway and the droids poured blaster fire into the crowd.

Covered in flames, a Dark Jedi charged at the droids, howling and spinning his lightsaber. The man's skin smoked and crackled, but he didn't seem to care. T3 let out a frightened, "Dwoooo!" as HK fired into the Sith, but the man kept coming. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. However, the rust-colored droid deftly flipped his selector to full automatic fire and multiple bolts sliced through the Dark Jedi before he fell right at HK's feet.

"Exclamation: Whew."

Now, caught between the droids, fire, and the Jedis' furious counterattack, the Sith force disintegrated and they fled, screaming past HK and T3. The rust-colored droid fired into the running troops. "Statement: Git some…git some." Oh, watching their backsides flee into the darkness was precious and gave him a warm glow inside.

"Dee reet…dee reet," squawked T3 in imitation.

Soon, Carth and Juhani came up to rejoin the crew, several prisoners in tow. HK looked at the prisoners and rubbed his hands. "Appreciation: For me?" He raised his blaster rifle, but Aerin emerged from the hall.

"Sorry HK, we need them for information," she told him and the droid lowered his head and his eyes dimmed; he was…disappointed. _Next time_, he thought to himself, _next time._

**In the Hallway**

Aerin was thankful for the reinforcements – it could have gone either way before HK and T3 showed up. She nodded thanks to Juhani, but avoided eye contact with Carth. She looked their captives over and knew it was time to interrogate them. She would try a soft touch at first. The Jedi leaned over the kneeling prisoners with a sweet smile. "Tell me the strength and disposition of Sith forces on Korriban."

One of the officers looked her in the eye. "Bite me, wench."

How dare he? A surge of anger swept her for a brief second, but she choked it down. _I've got to get myself under control. I feel more alive…more powerful than ever, but am I trading my soul for power? My power comes through my rage. Is that what happened to me before? I must control myself._

Well, sweetness wasn't working, but she didn't want to use terror – she didn't want to go further down that path. Instead of striking out, she took a long drink of ale and knelt down beside the officer and let her mind envelope his. The man struggled and shook as he tried to resist her, but her mental probe was too much for him. Soon, he was babbling about the Sith brigade that was stationed to defend the Academy. Aerin took mental notes and then stood again.

Aerin and Carth exchanged glances and she nodded her head curtly. "Captain Onasi." She still wasn't sure what to make of him. He seemed less…hateful when Dustil came around, but the image of his angry, bitter face was still emblazoned in her mind. She would keep it professional – that's what had to happen.

He inhaled deeply, seemingly uncomfortable and glanced from side to side. "I…I didn't thank you…you and Juhani for saving Dustil. You did me a great service."

Padawan Dakar gave him a faint smile. She knew how hard it must have been for him to say that for as much as he detested her. "You're welcome. But don't be too thankful yet, Dustil is still in danger and we aren't out of the woods yet."

HK's antenna glowed briefly and he cocked his head as if listening. "Statement: It is with great joy that I am announcing that Canderous has just breached the front door of the Sith Academy. Anticipation: A battle is brewing. It will be meatbag city."

Aerin nodded. The time for action was now. She would need all of her strength and all of her knowledge to defeat an entire Sith brigade. She knew that she had a trump card, but should it be played? _Why am I fighting who I am? With my skill and power as Revan, we could end this. I know my weakness is in my ability to counter Force attacks, but I have gained much in the way of Force powers from Jolee and Bastila._ She thought about her mentor and how much pain she knew Bastila was in. Perhaps the bond could help her friend. _Bastila…I can still feel you through the bond…you are in so much agony. You are so alone. Take strength from me…. I shall be coming to free you. Just hang on._

Aerin will to fight who she was faded and she tapped into an unseen part of her brain and inspiration took hold. Her face then became very serious, eyes focused and bright, and she knelt in the dirt and began to draw a diagram of the valley along with the positions of Sith forces. She could see in her head where the enemy was and what she could do about it. So, this was why Revan was so formidable.

"This is how the battle will unfold…."

As she discussed her strategy, she looked up into Carth's eyes and sensed his thoughts, knowing that he could not help but think of a young admiral, designing the conquest of the galaxy.

**The Sith Academy**

Canderous placed an explosive charge on the door to the Academy and then scrambled behind some boulders. He glanced over to Mission and spoke, "Fire in the hole," whereupon the Twi'lek cranked a switch handle and the door exploded inward.

The Mandalorian hefted his blaster and ran for the ragged opening, followed by Jolee and the Rodian, Mika Dorin, a loyal follower of Revan. Mika's loyalist force chanted, "Revan!" as they surged through the door, which was shrouded in smoke.

Sith troops unleashed a volley of blaster fire and some of Mika's men collapsed as they ran forward. Canderous' power shields flashed from hits and he sprinted toward cover, hurling a smoke grenade. Jolee followed, slicing away bolts and the two dove behind some stone statues.

In stealth mode, Mission crawled on the ground through swirling fumes, approaching the Sith, who were laying down fire from behind cover. The Twi'lek placed several mines and crawled away. At a safe distance, she pressed the command unit and the mines detonated, hurling fragments, plasma, and Sith into the air. The mercenary grinned broadly – it was time for glory.

Canderous then leapt forward, his red Mandalorian armor polished and gleaming. Ergeron covered his flank, firing through the smoke to keep the Sith down. As Jolee and Mika's force assaulted another Sith position, the mercenaries strode through the fumes and flame like demons, pumping bolts into the enemy.

Canderous charged into another line of armored troops and his eyes widened; he stood face to face with fellow Mandalorians. He raised the muzzle of his weapon to the ceiling. He knew who they were, but were they friend or foe?

"Kelborn, Bralor, what are you doing here?"

Canderous and Ergeron, along with the two Mandalorians, quickly drew their vibrodaggers and took fighting stances. Ordo put on his most terrifying war face, anticipating combat. They would be difficult foes, having fought in dozens of campaigns against the Republic. There was a moment of pause and then four broke into laughter and stood, holding their daggers over their chests, points down. Indeed, he could not kill another Mandalorian unless absolutely necessary. Besides, there was better prey to be had here.

In spite of the nearby battle, Ergeron stepped up besides Canderous and smiled at the sight of long lost comrades. Kelborn, a tall, lean Mandalorian with dark curly hair, slapped Canderous on the shoulder. "We have not seen you since Revan conquered us. The Sith have hired us to protect this wasteland. I suppose it looks a lot better than Malachor Five. I hope your battles have been more prosperous." An explosion rang out nearby, but not one of them flinched.

Ordo's face took on a conspiratorial look and he leaned in close to the others. He had an idea. "Revan lives…. I fight for _her_ now. Join me; her battles have been glorious." The two Mandalorians looked shocked and they glanced at one another. Ergeron nodded his agreement of Canderous' words.

Before they could respond, another Mandalorian burst in and stood before Canderous. A long, pink scar colored his neck and he glared angrily at Ordo. Canderous made eye contact and was initially glad until he realized the hate emanating from this man. What had happened? They had been friends for a lifetime.

"Canderous Ordo," the Mandalorian said through gritted teeth, "I longed to see you again and destroy you for what you did at Althir," the broad-shouldered man said in accusation, pointing a finger.

Ordo could not believe his ears. "Jagi? What are you talking about? We crushed the Althirans."

Jagi sneered at his childhood friend. "You sent us to attack and then abandoned us while you sought your own glory! We died by the scores as you won honors. I have waited for years for this moment. Canderous, I challenge you…right here, right now. Before the remnants of our clan…before the bravest of our people. If you refuse me, you reputation…your name will be nothing."

The sounds of fighting died away as Jolee and Mika Dorin drove the Sith back. Canderous clenched his teeth. This was like a slap in the face. He did what he did to win the battle. "Jagi, you were always close to my heart. It was war; I…I do not regret my decisions." In war, people die, sacrifices are made – Jagi knew this. Why did he hold such a grudge? What changed in his friend?

"Then, Canderous of the Clan Ordo, let us settle this," Jagi said as he drew his vibrodagger slowly and the two began to circle, surrounded by other Mandalorians. Canderous had no choice, friend or not, he had to fight. If his friend wanted a challenge, then so be it – let the best Mandalorian win. Jagi made several feints, stabbing and slashing the air with his weapon. Canderous moved steadily, bobbing and shifting his feet. Jagi growled and lunged forward, but Canderous parried his arm away and kicked Jagi in the gut.

Jagi's armor absorbed much of the blow, but he grunted and kicked Canderous' legs out from under him. Ordo fell backward and crashed to the ground and Jagi leapt on top of him, stabbing with his dagger. Canderous caught Jagi's arm and they rolled on the floor, struggling for control of the weapon.

Jagi elbowed Canderous in the chin and wrestled the dagger away. With a quick thrust, he plunged the point into Canderous chest, just below the collarbone. Ordo grit his bloody teeth and spat red, but he pulled Jagi in closer.

"I will enjoy your dying squirms, Canderous," Jagi whispered. Canderous knew that this man was no longer the friend that had fought beside him. He could feel the cold steel in his flesh, deep in his muscles and sinews. However, Canderous would not die. Instead, he seemed to grow in strength and brought his own dagger up, slicing Jagi's neck below the jaw. It had to be this way. It was the Way of Mandalore. Jagi's face registered horror as he wrinkled his features. Blood sprayed on the ground as the dying mercenary stood and took several steps back.

Canderous also stood and removed the dagger in his chest. He watched as Jagi wobbled and then collapsed. As his childhood friend wheezed weakly, Canderous knelt over him and dipped two fingers in Jagi's blood. As Jagi's eyes rolled back and he breathed his last, Ordo inhaled deeply, taking in the essence of his kill.

As Canderous stood, the other Mandalorians stared at him in awe. Bralor, a massive, heavily-muscled warrior looked at Canderous' wound. "You should be dead."

"Yeah? It's going to take a lot more than that to kill this Mandalorian. There was no joy in this kill. Now Kelborn, Bralor, what say you? Shall we once again unleash the fury of the Mandalore?" His heart was cold now, yearning for the fire of battle and the slaughter of enemies.

Ergeron came forward. "The Mandalore? The name suits you, Canderous," he said as he extended his hand toward the other warriors and they took it firmly. A grin came over Kelborn and Bralor's faces.

"For Mandalore!" they shouted as they charged at the Sith.

**The Valley of the Tombs**

Aerin led the team out of the tomb and they hastily prepared for a Sith counterattack. As Carth and HK took a position over the tomb entrance, Aerin looked off into the hills and nodded – the storm was coming quickly. The Sith would not easily let them have their way and they knew there would be a fierce battle. Then, she and T3 began laying mines as Juhani spoke to someone on the commlink. As expected, two companies of Sith troops appeared and began to deploy for battle. Yuthura and Aerin peered through their binos and saw officers directing their men forward, using cover. This was what Aerin saw in her head.

"Deedle bleep!" informed T3.

"Yes, it looks like about a hundred men," answered Aerin as they knelt from behind a rock wall. She knew this was just the tip of the iceberg as the two companies were just part of one, giant brigade. Regardless of her strategy, they would be heavily outnumbered.

The Sith troops advanced in two columns down either side of the valley with a squad walking cautiously in the open. As the squad entered the minefield, Aerin picked up a blaster rifle that she had acquired. She looked at T3. "Not yet, let them come further."

The Sith advanced another 10 meters and then Aerin nodded. T3 sent a command signal to the mines and several of them detonated, obliterating the squad amid fire and shrapnel. Immediately, the Sith columns lay down covering fire and the three Jedi curled up behind the wall. Flakes and dust flew up around them, soon to be joined by a high-pitched whine.

"Incoming!" Aerin yelled and pulled Juhani up. With Yuthura, they dashed to another position of cover as a shell landed nearby. T3 rolled along as the shell burst, throwing rocks and dirt high into the air. The blast knocked the droid over and threw the Jedi to the ground. Aerin's head reeled and her ears rang. White spots danced in her vision, but she could see an officer ordering two squads of Sith troops to break cover and charge.

**Above the Tomb**

From a hidden position above the tomb, Carth saw about twenty men rush from behind rocks, into the open toward the stunned Jedi. Calmly, he pointed them out to HK and the droid swung a heavy blaster around. The captain was in his element, directing his part of the battle. HK's support weapon opened up, barking out bolts that cut through the armor of the Sith and they fell in heaps. The captain smiled vacantly, knowing that far fewer Sith would plague the galaxy.

As the two squads lay dead or dying, Carth slapped HK. He knew the Sith would soon zero in on them, but he could stay ahead of the game. "Move to position two, now."

HK quickly picked up the blaster on its tripod and scurried to the next firing position as cover fire struck their former hiding place. Their timing was perfect and Carth found he worked well with the psychotic droid.

Smoke rounds began to fall in the area fronting the tomb to cover the Sith advance. Troopers and mercenaries moved methodically forward toward the team, firing through the smoke. Aerin had briefed this beforehand and Carth knew that they would do this.

Carth and HK quickly set up the blaster and began hammering out bolts. Several Sith emerged from the smoke and the droid cut them to ribbons. Then, a smoke trail appeared in front of them and grew larger. It was just a matter of time before the Sith got the range on them.

"Rocket!" Carth yelled and dove aside just as the projectile slammed into the rocks that provided them with cover. The captain crashed into a large stone and his ears rang. Dust coated his face and arms and he wiped his eyes and shook his head. He called out to HK, but could not hear his own voice.

Carth looked through the cloud of dust and saw that the support blaster had been destroyed. HK sat there with a long piece of shrapnel protruding from his head and one of his arms hung by wires.

"Statement: Ouch."

Then, three ladders appeared on the ledge and Sith troops swarmed in. The heavy assault troops were closing on them. Carth saw their masks and heavy armor and knew that he was in for the fight of his life.

**In Front of the Tomb**

T3 righted himself as the smoke rounds began falling and the sound of the Sith charge commenced. The dull, distant battle cry grew into a ferocious howl as troops burst through the smoke, brandishing weapons. From behind cover, Aerin aimed her rifle downrange and squeezed the trigger multiple times. Men fell, but others took their place in the headlong rush. "T3, the rest of the mines!" she ordered, covering her ears.

"Bleep!" he responded, indicating that his command link was damaged by the blast. This was not in her plan at all.

Aerin made a sour face as Sith troops emerged from the smoke at 20 meters distance. Blaster fire from HK cut through the first wave, but a rocket flew overhead and exploded at Carth's position. Chunks of rock scattered down as a second wave of Sith emerged. Aerin glanced up, hoping Carth was ok, but she had bigger worries.

Aerin fired and the muzzle of her weapon flashed. A Sith trooper screamed and fell, but the attack had reached the Jedi. The enemy battle cry was deafening at point blank range and bayonets shined as blaster bolts filled the air. Yuthura slashed away several bolts, but one found her belly. As she staggered back, two men with vibroswords rushed her and they disappeared into the smoke. Aerin watched her fall and moved to help, but she was cut off.

As mercenaries charged Aerin and Juhani, T3 sprayed the attackers with freezing chemicals and several collapsed to the ground. One Twi'lek mercenary leapt over the frozen bodies and fired an ion bolt into T3. The little droid screamed, "Bwaaaaaa!" and went dark. The odds were getting worse and they were going down, one by one. The enemy's numbers were proving to be too great.

Aerin tightened her gut and would go down swinging. She threw her rifle down and she and Juhani drew lightsabers and cut into the line of troops. Now was the time for boldness and Aerin transitioned to Shien, her hand taking a reverse grip on her lightsaber. This was a form to use against multiple opponents and she waded in, using wide, sweeping strokes, cleaving through several Sith at once. Bodies and parts fell as the two Jedi swung their weapons, but the weight of numbers was still against them.

_My powers were exhausted in the tomb_, thought Aerin desperately as she parried the blade of a mercenary. Her arms were starting feel like lead and her heart hammered in her chest. She didn't have much left and the enemy showed no signs of letting up.

**Nearby**

Juhani stepped back, whipping her lightsaber through two opponents. She too, held her weapon in a reverse grip from Shien. Another man stepped forward and she punched the pommel of her weapon into his face, followed by an upward stroke that clove him from groin to head. Panting from exhaustion, Juhani retreated, holding her guard with her hand high and her blade down. She couldn't keep this up much longer, but Aerin trusted her to hold the flank. Then, out of the corner of her eye, a mercenary leapt through the smoke. Instinctively, she stabbed him, her blue lightsaber piercing the man's stomach. With a howl, he grabbed her arm, preventing her from removing the blade. "Xor!" the man shouted. Juhani gasped – he gave his life to trap her.

Then, a Twi'lek mercenary rushed at the Cathar and tackled her into the dirt. Juhani cried out as they hit the ground and Xor rolled her over and pinned her arms.

He licked his lips, slobbering on her face. "I had no idea there were any more of your miserable race left, Cathar."

Juhani snarled as she looked at him. She knew who he was in an instant and her gut froze in anger and fear. "No…it's you! From the Taris slave auction." She tried to buck, but he was too strong and her power was nearly spent.

Xor laughed. "I cannot believe my luck. All these years I've wondered what had happened to you. You will finally be my slave."

Lying pinned in the dirt, the Cathar growled and kicked the back of Xor's head with her foot. Xor howled, releasing his grip on Juhani and she rolled away. "My Cathar blood boils with the knowledge that you still live, monster."

Xor saw Juhani's lightsaber on the ground and he dove for it, but Juhani willed it to her hand with her last once of power. With a hateful shriek, she powered the blade and cut down into the dirt as Xor rolled away. He scrambled up and grabbed his vibrosword just in time to parry another cut. Juhani could only see red now as all of the humiliation of her time on Taris came to a head. Xor embodied everything vile in the galaxy and she would see him dead by her hand…even if it meant her own life.

He turned to see more mercenaries coming to aid him and he pointed at Juhani. "Take her alive! I have helped to drive your race into extinction," he told her, keeping his guard, "but I want to keep _one_ last specimen for my own." A dozen men then rushed the Cathar and drove her back.

**Above the Tomb**

Shells burst in the air and heavy lasers whined, blowing chunks of stone away from the cliff face. All of this merely excited the psychotic droid more. He quickly rerouted power to his damaged arm and was back in the fight, as the master would say. As Sith troopers climbed over the ledge, HK rotated a nozzle at them and a torrent of flame shot forth, incinerating the soldiers coming off of one ladder. Screams rang out and flaming bodies plummeted back to the ground. This was a killer droid's fantasy come true. Troops from the next ladder came on and one cut into the droid's leg with a vibrosword. Sparks flew from HK's leg, but he quickly drew a blaster pistol and shot the Sith at point blank range. The man howled and fell over the ledge.

From the side, Carth pulled out a grenade. He chucked it at the densely packed enemy and covered his ears. HK saw this and braced for the impact – the meatbag captain had done it to him again.

"Sorry, HK," Carth said as the plasma grenade tore the Sith troopers apart.

**In Front of the Tomb**

Aerin's back was to a wall and a dozen mercenaries hacked at her as she parried desperately, trying to find an escape. Her face showed exhaustion and her guard sagged from fatigue. Her entire body was in agony over the exertion, but she had to keep going. Through the wall of attackers, she could see Juhani flailing at the Twi'lek and his cohorts and the Cathar was also rapidly tiring. She had to do something now or they would all fall under the weight of the enemy.

Still using Shien, Aerin pushed forward, hoping to break through the mass of troops. She beat one man's blade aside and then cut away the top of his head. Three other men then stepped in and their attacks drove her right back to the wall. The Jedi's breaths came in ragged gasps and sweat poured down her face – every movement of hers was strained and sluggish.

Then, tiny points of light appeared on the hillside and several mercenaries fell, hit from behind by blaster fire. The stunned mercenaries turned and Aerin tore into them, forcing her arms and legs to respond.

"It's about damn time," she voiced as Dustil and Mekel led rebellious students down from the hills.

**Nearby**

Two mercenaries seized Juhani's weary arms and Xor kicked her hard in the gut. The Cathar cried out and her knees buckled. She thought some of her ribs were broken. As her vision blurred from pain, the two mercenaries collapsed, hit by blaster fire from Dustil's force.

Through sheer willpower alone, Juhani forced her body to respond. Every joint, every muscled screamed in agony, but she had to rip Xor's heart out. Her arms free, Juhani picked up her lightsaber and pointed it at Xor's chest. The Twi'lek's face showed surprise as Juhani powered the weapon, sending the blade through his body in a powerful thrust.

Xor collapsed into the dirt and Juhani leapt upon him, tearing his flesh with her claws. She let out a long, heart rending scream as years of pain and abuse poured out from her heart. Blood and skin coated her hands, but still, she ripped at the dead mercenary. There was so much that had to be paid for. Exhaustion took her and all she could do is slap weakly at the corpse, panting and groaning. Soon, all grew quiet. Juhani blinked and looked around her. Aerin, Carth, and Dustil stood there, watching her. What could she say? Shame took her and she knew her friends would think her a crazed fiend. She wanted to crawl away and hide.

With a smile, Aerin extended her hand and Juhani took it. This was unexpected. How could Aerin smile at her? How could she offer her hand to such a terrible person? Still dazed, the Cathar looked around and saw Yuthura nursing her wounds and T3 spinning his head around, trying to dissipate the ions in his system. Nearby, HK complained, his arm still dangling and his chassis scorched by fire.

"Protest: Next time, Captain Meatbag, tell me before you throw a plasma grenade my way."

Carth looked regretful. "Sorry HK. We'll get you fixed up in a jiffy."

"Appeased: Very well. However, the next time you throw something at me, meatbag, I'll throw it right back. Informative: I have received word from the Mandalorian that he is victorious. He will secure a route through the Academy for us to return to the ship when ready."

The captain shook his head with a sardonic chuckle. Then, he pulled his son to him. Juhani watched, glad that Carth had found his son alive and well, but she couldn't feel much at this point. All she could see was Xor at the slave auction, taunting her, running his hands through her fur. Her skin crawled. She looked over to Xor's mangled corpse and was fascinated and repulsed by it at the same time. She could take it no longer and she lost all control.

As Carth and Dustil embraced, Juhani broke down into wracking sobs. Aerin held her for several minutes, wiping away the Cathar's bitter tears. "It's over now, Juhani. You are finally free of your past."

At first, she could say nothing. Juhani nodded as she bit her own arm, drawing blood. It was all she could do to focus. "I was wise to follow you."

Aerin cocked her head as if curious. "One thing I want to know is why was Xor so obsessed with Cathars?" Juhani knew that talking about it would help.

Without looking at Aerin, Juhani answered, "He was part of the force that destroyed the Cathar homeworld and he was severely wounded by my people; he held a grudge ever since. His madness drove my family to ruin and despair. I don't know how he found me here, but it must have been destiny."

Aerin seemed to sense Juhani's earlier shame and she put her arm around the Cathar. The warmth of Aerin's body relaxed her, made her feel safe. "Juhani," she said, "there is no need for shame. I would have done the same thing. Don't you think that my madness after learning my real identity was shameful? I was ready to crawl to the bottom of an ale bottle and stay there. We are sisters, you and I. Your strength gives me strength."

It was everything Juhani needed to hear. They sat in silence for a time, arm in arm, just taking comfort in the other's presence.

**Later in the Evening**

Aerin watched Juhani sleep after exhaustion had taken her. She could still feel the raw emotions of the Cathar and it was like another wound on her heart. She could understand now what it would have been like to have been a slave to a perverted and sadistic master. How did Juhani survive that? She was indeed a strong woman. She looked over to see Carth and Dustil talking in front of a fire – it was one of her dreams to reunite them and it actually happened. Maybe there was some hope for them all. Even Mekel stuck around and helped out when the chips were down. As she scanned the area, she could see Mika Dorin and the Mandalorians in the distance, drinking and whooping it up over the Sith dead.

Exhaustion threatened to take Aerin too and she started to nod as Yuthura limped over to them. The Twi'lek sat, somewhat cautious of Aerin. Yuthura's body was tense as if she expected an attack at any moment. Aerin could barely move an arm, much less mount an attack. "Master Revan, why did you not kill me in the tomb?"

Aerin didn't miss a beat at being called that. It was like it had been her name all along. "Do you recall the conversations we had in the Academy? When you thought I was no more than a wannabe Sith, you extended to me your trust and friendship. You also flattered me when I asked you about Revan…yes that is a weakness of mine," she said, feeling slightly embarrassed. "You said you admired Revan's strength and intelligence. Most important, you did not attack me because you were evil or because you hated me, you attacked because of what you have learned here from Sith teachings. That is something I can forgive."

Yuthura smiled, seemingly put at ease. "What will you do now," asked the Twi'lek.

"We seek to destroy the source of Malak's power, the Star Forge. We now have its location. What I need from you, Yuthura, is for you to find the Jedi Council and tell them of this. I know you won't let me down."

Yuthura bowed. "It will be done, Revan." Aerin could tell that she wanted to please. She could see devotion in Yuthura's eyes. This was what Revan felt, standing before the adoring masses. Yes, this was good. Aerin paused a moment, noticing the difference in her personality – now, she was confident, assured, and charismatic. The way in which she spoke inspired loyalty and motivated action. She found she loved it and feared it all at once.

Suddenly, a horrible groan shattered the silence and a ghostly figure sat up among the team. Dust motes swirled around the figure and it let out a ghastly moan. Aerin leapt over, drawing her lightsaber as blasters were drawn by the others. Aerin drew back her weapons to strike the seated figure.

"Lashowe?"

The woman shook her body, sending dust everywhere. She saw Aerin standing over her with two sizzling lightsabers.

"Oh, why did I wake up?" she whimpered and lay back down in the dirt.

Suddenly, the team burst into laughter. "How on Korriban did she sleep through the whole battle?" Aerin asked in wonder.


	10. Fallen Angel

W/N - Thank you so much again, Jen. You're really inspiring us to write better and go deeper into the emotional aspect. Back to Bastila. I wrote this with some unpleasant survival school memories. I also heard a few POW's speak and got a glimpse into the misery of captivity.

Other Malarkey - Meetings...meetings. I did get out to the training area to join some of the guys in a fire and maneuver exercise and got to "jock up" with body armor, kevlar, and NVG's to throw lead downrange.

**Fallen Angel**

**The **_**Leviathan**_** – 28 Days Ago**

Bastila lay broken on the deck as Malak stood over her. She could just vaguely see him, hands on hips, gloating. Her sienna robes were shredded about her crumpled form and she moaned pathetically. Even Saul's torture couldn't compare to the agony she felt. She searched through a swollen eye for her lightsaber that lay a short distance away. There it was, she could reach it. She could still fight. If only she could get that weapon. Aerin had to get away – everything depended on it. The battered Jedi reached out with a quivering hand – a hand with fingers twisted in unnatural angles – for her weapon.

Ever so painfully the fingers crawled toward the silver cylinder, without hope of victory, without hope of survival, but with a single minded desperation.

Just as Bastila's fingers touched the lightsaber, Malak stooped and picked it up like a fallen toy. She saw the weapon move away and she wanted to shriek in frustration, but she thought her jaw was broken. A frigid gale of laughter churned from his voice synthesizer and he kicked her in the gut like an angry master would kick an ill-behaved Kath pup. A sickening crunch filled the room followed by the sounds of gurgling. Why didn't he just kill her? She knew he just wanted to prolong her suffering. She looked up, her vision blurry and imagined Malak as the young Jedi, tall and blond, in the Academy on Dantooine…before it was destroyed. Now, her entire world had been destroyed. No one was left – Master Vandar, Master Zhar, Master Vrook…all probably dead or slaves of the Sith. She was alone.

Ragged breaths escaped from Bastila's split lip and she mumbled incoherently as Malak picked her up by the hair. She whimpered as follicles tore from her scalp. He brought her up to his face and looked into one, unfocused eye; the other now swollen shut.

"Brave Bastila," he mused, holding her as one holds a dead and rotting animal. "You surprised me. I expected you to flee like the coward you are and leave Revan to her fate."

The Padawan looked as if she were about to say something and Malak cocked his head to listen. Her lips quivered for a moment and then she spat blood on the Dark Lord's face. He dropped her like a sack of trash and she crashed onto the deck. As he put his heavy boot on her face, his commlink chimed. Malak stepped away and Bastila sobbed painfully.

"What is it?" she heard the Dark Lord ask impatiently.

"M'Lord, this is Captain Dessler, I am afraid the fugitives have escaped in their vessel. Admiral Karath is dead." Bastila's heart skipped a beat. Maybe there was still hope, not for her, but for the Republic. Unable to move, she watched and listened intently.

Malak furrowed his brows. "_Where_ have they gone? Find them!" he roared.

"M'Lord, I have intelligence that they are enroute to the Bastion System," Dessler told him and Bastila held her breath – Aerin's trick had worked. They were heading the wrong way.

Malak grunted. "Very well, set course, Admiral Dessler…. And admiral, send a security team to me to pick up some refuse."

Shortly, a team of Sith troopers arrived and picked up the semi-conscious Jedi by her limbs. Her broken bones grinded, shooting white hot pain through her body. _Let me die_, she thought, over and over, but knew worse things were in store for her. They carried her down to the lower decks where the brig was located. An officer in a black uniform looked her over as the troopers paraded by. "What is…_tha_t?"

A sergeant shrugged. "She's one of the Jedi, who tried to escape. Lord Malak worked her over pretty good. You can't even recognize her."

They carted her off to a row of cells past one containing Major Kyle Durren. Weakly, she turned her head and saw him with her one eye. They made eye contact and he bolted up and smashed into the force field. With a zap, he fell backwards with a grunt. Shaking his head, he rose again. Bastila let out an inhuman moan, her lips unable to form words. _No, not him too. It can't be. Not him!_

"Bastila! Bastila!" she heard Kyle cry. "What did you do to her, you animals? You'll pay for this, I swear! Bastila!"

The troopers put the Jedi on the metal floor and departed, activating the force field. The sergeant looked at Kyle condescendingly. "Not bloody likely, Republic. You'll both die here." Bastila knew that this was very likely. They had beat the odds, time and again, escaping from Malak's grasp. But this time, luck had run out.

Kyle beat his fists on the ground and screamed her name again. Bastila moved her hand weakly to try and communicate, but could only make gurgling noises.

"Bastila, please hang on. I'm going to save us. Bastila, I love you! Stay with me!" she heard him yell. Yes, she loved him too. She could never tell him this and now that she wanted to, her body was too broken to speak the words. She knew how badly she had treated him, hot one minute and cold the next. She saw the pain in his eyes when her chilly side took over. She wished she could take it all back…have a second chance. She would give everything in the world to tell him that she loved him.

Beyond her sight, a monitor in a dark chamber in another part of the ship showed this agonizing drama. Malak and Sion watched Kyle's anguish with great interest and delight. Sion stood in black, loose fitting trousers, his bare chest rippling with muscles. The strongest of the rebellious Jedi's skin was gray and now mottled with cracks and open sores; the Dark Side of the Force was slowly consuming his body. He glared at Kyle through the monitor.

"Lord Malak, allow me to crush this pathetic creature."

"No, he will serve a greater good. Look how he fawns over Bastila…. He is in _love_…how touching." They laughed, a wicked laugh full of malice and devoid of pity.

**In the Cell**

A remote entered Bastila's cell and sprayed her wounds with Bacta. The soothing liquid coated her bruises and cuts as the remote injected her with healing chemicals…along with other things. Bastila winced when the needle punctured her skin and she stirred. Her good eye focused on the remote and she rolled away, but the sphere had done its work. The Jedi tried weakly to grab the floating droid, but it sped off before she could move.

"Bastila! Are you okay? Talk to me!" She heard Kyle yell. Oh, her body ached and her head throbbed. Her one good eye was still blurry and she could barely move her arms.

She looked around like a caged wild animal until she saw him in the next cell. She vaguely recalled now seeing him and thinking about him, but when was it? How long had they been here? "Kyle…you're alive. Where's Malak?" She was somewhat surprised that she could speak. Her jaw worked, sore as it was.

He shook his head. "I don't know. I was captured covering the team's escape."

Tears flowed down Bastila's bruised cheeks and she cried, a desperate, hopeless cry of defeat. Her throat was raw and dry and ached with each sob. She remembered now that Revan knew the truth. Even if they had escaped, what would Revan do? It was likely that she would once again become Dark Lord of the Sith. Now, without the Jedi to oppose her, she would take Coruscant like candy from a baby. "All is lost, Kyle. We are doomed. The Council…the Republic…all doomed."

"No! Don't talk like that. We'll get out of this. I swear I'll save us."

Bastila screamed in frustration, her lips and throat on fire. "You don't understand, dammit!" she swore uncharacteristically. "Aerin…Aerin Dakar is _Revan_."

"What?" Kyle asked, his face going blank. "How is that possible? Revan is dead."

Bastila explained how they had gotten to that point with the exception of the search for the Star Forge. "The Council felt she could be redeemed. _I_ helped to convince them. Now that she knows the truth…she will fall. We will all fall…into darkness for centuries."

"No Bastila, I refuse to believe that. We must have hope."

Hope? There was no hope here. It had been abandoned once she had entered this place. Malak's cruelty was well known and she expected to be the victim of it soon. Then, she noticed the Bacta taking effect, healing her. Why would they treat her? Was it just to give her false hope? As Bastila's bruises faded and her bones and sinews knitted, a strange and different feeling began to creep into her flesh. It started as a tingling sensation and progressed into a horrible itch. It was like her skin was peeling off, layer by layer. She started to scratch furiously and Kyle called, "Bastila, what's happening?"

The droid injected something else into her system. Kyle's cries of support were useless as the Jedi spent a sleepless night in agony.

**Ten Days Later**

Dark circles ringed Bastila's eyes after more than a week of sleepless nights. She was numb, unable to think or focus. Her face was pale and she looked more like the dead than the living. Her mouth hung open and drool cascaded onto the deck as she blinked unseeing eyes at the intense lights.

"Bastila!" a distant voice called, sounding like it came from underwater.

The Jedi mumbled something incoherent and put some mushy food in her mouth. Slop dripped down her chin and coated matted, tangled hair. Suddenly, the sound of boots grew louder and troopers deactivated the field of Bastila's cell. They seized her amid Kyle's protests and hauled her off. She was brought to a chamber with a reddish glow and strapped, arm and leg, to a metal table. Bastila's eyes darted around in fearful panic as Malak entered with Sion and Darth Moritz in tow. This was the moment she had feared.

Gathering her wits, the Jedi tried to put on a brave face. Her body was healed now for whatever nefarious purpose they had for her. "Malak, you'll never learn anything from me. It's useless to try; the Council taught me too well," she said in that old, haughty tone that had offended so many people. It was her only defense now.

Without any response, Moritz leaned over Bastila's face. The inhuman, red-haired woman turned her artificial, electronic blue eye at the Padawan, giving her a chill down her spine. "Bastila, it has been such a long time. It is so good to see you," the nearly mechanized woman said as one does to a dear friend. Malak's head of internal security had a reputation for breaking people without ever raising her voice. Bastila knew her when they were at the Academy together…when she was human.

Moritz placed metal probes into Bastila's flesh and the Padawan screamed, straining her limbs against the restraints. Chemicals flowed into Bastila's body and she twitched uncontrollably, her filthy, soiled robes flapping against her form. It was like they were turning her inside out. She fought to keep her sanity…fought to keep her dignity, but it was a losing battle. Then the feeling subsided.

As Bastila groaned, Malak stood over her and sniffed. Bastila could feel a warm wetness between her legs – she had soiled herself. "She smells terrible. Give her a bath," he said, pinching his nose. Now, her dignity was gone and her sanity sure to follow.

She tried to take herself away, send her mind elsewhere, find somewhere to hide. Her mind reached out through her bond, but she could only find blurry images. As she sifted through the mental pictures, she saw Aerin, dressed as a Sith adept, chanting the dark code. _No…no! It can't be true!_ All hope came collapsing down. Revan had truly returned and now, it was only a matter of time before the end…an end that would find her bereft of reason and begging for death. Her eyes found Malak's and she pleaded for the end without having to say it, but his eyes told her that this was just the beginning.

Guards ripped her filthy and tattered robes from her body and brought out a hose. Bastila closed her eyes as jets of water flayed her skin.

**In the Cell**

Bastila lay in a dark cell, bare, upon a bare metal floor. She couldn't see the hand in front of her face. She vaguely recalled being sprayed with water and dragged back to the cell block. A Force collar was about her neck and she tugged at it in vain. Dripping icy water, she was freezing and her breath came out in steam. The floor was hard and cold and she had never been so miserable in her life. She looked around for something sharp – maybe there was a way to end it all.

Then, a portal opened and Sith troopers hurled someone in. In the moment in which light entered the room, she could see it was Kyle. He hit the floor roughly and Bastila called to him. In the dark, they fumbled toward each other until their hands met. Kyle wrapped her up in an embrace. He was so warm. His touch never felt so good.

"I was so worried. What did they do to you, Bastila?"

The Jedi shivered, both from the cold and terror. "Please, Kyle…please…I can't last much longer," she said, her voice husky with desperation. "We are lost…Aerin has fallen. I saw her, Kyle, I saw her…in Sith robes, chanting the Sith Code." There was no hope left, but if he could just hold on to her for a while longer, nothing else mattered. They would all die, but all she wanted was a little while longer.

He stroked her freshly washed hair with a gentle hand. "I've got you, Bastila. We'll survive this. Don't worry about Aerin…we need to focus on us."

He held her tenderly as she spent another sleepless night in pain. Then, the troopers returned for her.

For countless days, the cycle continued as Bastila's will eroded. Her Jedi training was soon to be no match for the Dark Lord's will. As they sat, huddled in the lightless cell, the thrum of the hyperdrive became silent. Bastila knew they had stopped, but where? And why? Sith troopers entered and blindfolded them and they were dragged in cages to a shuttle. Whatever was happening would happen soon.

The vessel departed the _Leviathan_ and descended through an atmosphere to a beautiful, tropical planet. The shuttle powered thrusters and landed on an ancient temple, where Malak and his forces levitated the cages into the structure. What was this place? Is this where Malak had his secret facility? The hapless prisoners were again taken to a lightless cell, this time made of stone.

**In a Nearby Room**

Nearby, the Sith watched the two over a monitor. "It is almost over," voiced Moritz with pride.

"Excellent," replied Malak, "I shall enjoy every moment." He thrummed his fingers on his metal mask, observing the two lovers with the night vision camera. He snorted as they clung to each other in the dark, so afraid and so alone. He remembered how self righteous Bastila had been on Dantooine and it brought him great joy to see her humbled. Surely, he had wiped that 'holier than thou' look from her face. This is what it meant to be a Sith – lesser beings would bow to you and know their place. Well, there was so much more to come…so much more and the show was just getting started.

**In the Cell**

Bastila tried to remember how many days they had been captives. It was impossible to tell – somewhere between twenty and thirty, she thought…maybe forty? For her, the days were blurry periods of pain and humiliation. Everything that held meaning being a Jedi had been stripped away – honor, courage, dignity, even her robes of office. If she could only get some sleep she would feel stronger. Maybe they might have some hope. As they lay upon the stone floor, Kyle held Bastila closely. "Use my warmth, Bastila. Try to get some sleep."

Her brain was in shambles. She couldn't think or focus. Even Kyle's voice sounded tinny, like it came through a tunnel. "I…I can't…. I haven't slept in weeks…. I'm so…so tired…so exhausted."

He caressed her cheek and it felt so good. His warmth was like a beacon in a dark and lonely night. "Bastila, I want you to know how much I love you. Let me be your strength. Remember the first time we kissed…made love?"

The Jedi choked back tears. Yes, she could remember. How could she not remember? She felt in the darkness and found his face and imagined his features. In her tired mind, she could see his smile and his bright eyes. Her fingers glided along his lips and down to his neck. "Kyle…I'm so afraid…. I need you. I…I love you." There, she had said it and it felt so good. It was all that she had left in this world. Their lips met in the dark and Bastila abandoned what strength she had to passion.

When the soldiers came for her the next day, her strength was renewed. She had slept for the first time in weeks. What she and Kyle did last night brought her hope and strength. As long as she had his love to hang onto, she could fight. As she was strapped to the table, she glared defiantly at Malak and Moritz.

"You seem stronger, Bastila," mused Malak. "Perhaps we haven't been treating you properly." Bastila could see the frustration in his eyes. All of this effort and he was getting nowhere. He would eventually have to turn his attention back to the war and then, they might have a chance.

"Your tortures cannot defeat the power of the Light Side, Malak," she stated in an even voice. Her will was returning…growing in the love that she had found in the darkest of places. She might yet survive.

With an impatient snort, Moritz inserted the probes into Bastila's skin and green fluids poured through clear tubes. The Jedi's agony was far less and she grit her teeth instead of screaming.

Malak shook his head, looking angrily at Moritz. "This is _not_ working! I am running out of time. Throw her back with that imbecile; we must find another way."

As the troopers dragged the Jedi away, a faint smile graced her lips; she was winning this battle of wills.

**In the Cell**

Despite her exhaustion, Bastila snuggled in Kyle's arms. Warmth flowed through her body and she felt safe despite the situation. Even the luxurious bed at the Ocean Spray Hotel could not compare to the softness of his chest as she lay her head on him.

"I'm so sorry I can't stop them, Bastila. I want to protect you," Kyle said, his voice more welcome than a sunrise. Though it was pitch black, she knew his face was full of concern. She knew that look from Manaan when she sensed that he had an interest in her. She had never dated, never saw men as objects of affection. She thought back to how foolishly she had acted in her ignorance.

She ran the back of her hand gently against his chest, feeling his hairy body. "I know…it's okay. I'm growing in strength again. We're going to survive this, Kyle…," she said with growing confidence. Malak was tiring of this game and would let his guard down. All they had to do was find the opening – they had done it before. "I love you so much. The Council never taught us of love. They denounced it, said it was weakness. I see now how wrong they were; it's given me so much strength," she murmured as her passions were ignited. She turned and mounted him, grasping his hands in hers. She leaned forward, kissing him softly at first and then more deeply. Even in the darkest of places she never felt so alive.

**Later that Night**

As the perspiration on their bodies cooled, Bastila leaned onto Kyle, wanting to be close to him. She touched her lips to his ear, whispering, "I love you. We will survive." Her body felt relaxed and a drowsy feeling took hold of her. Kyle gently let her down and cradled her in his arms. She imagined his smile and bright eyes as she fell into slumber.

_Her mind drifted off into dream and she felt herself floating. She drifted off through the galaxy, wandering between systems until she came to Korriban. She watched from above a dusty valley as Aerin and the team stood against a Sith assault. Armored troops hurled themselves against Aerin's defenses and they were beaten in a desperate struggle. Bastila rejoiced. "Revan has not fallen! We will triumph and Malak will be stopped."_

Suddenly, Bastila awoke from the dream. She was disoriented, thinking the dream real for a moment. But…it was real. She had seen Aerin through the bond. Aerin had not fallen. All was not lost. Then, she noticed that a light shined into the cell from an open door. She reached around for Kyle, but he was not there.

"Kyle," she called urgently, but there was no response. Where was he? She reached around, trying to feel for him, but there was only cold, stone floor.

She crawled to the portal and the lights blinded her momentarily. Her head swam as if she were shrouded in cotton. The Jedi staggered out of the cell on unsure feet, wary of her sudden freedom. A Dark Jedi lay dead on the floor, a lightsaber clutched in her hand.

_Kyle must have done this…but why did he leave me? He must be securing an escape!_

Bastila's heart surged with hope and she picked up the weapon and took the Dark Jedi's robes to cover her body. The robes fit perfectly as she pulled them over her torso and down her legs. Her breath quickened as she headed down the hall, which opened up to a view of a spectacular, azure sea. Alien structures towered above the water in the distance and Bastila's eyes widened. She again shook her head, the dizziness and confusion growing despite her attempts to focus.

She hurried on, hope and fear growing in her. _Kyle, where are you? I am coming._ She passed through an opening and her heart dropped.

"Malak…." No, not when they were this close. She would not allow herself to be captured again. Her mind seemed fuzzy, but she willed herself to focus.

The Dark Lord turned and began to step toward her. "Bastila…."

His arms were spread and lightning danced on his fingertips. She would not be captured again. Her mind raced, trying to think of the best attack, but rage drove her on now. With a cry of anger, Bastila powered the crimson blade and struck him down. Malak screamed and collapsed at her feet. She had done it, she had emerged victorious. It would all be ok now. Then, the Jedi staggered, her head spinning. She summoned all that remained of her strength and blinked hard.

There, at her feet, lay Kyle, cloven by the power of her weapon.

"Kyle!" she shrieked as she dropped the lightsaber and cradled his head. No, this was just a nightmare. This was not real. Blood spurted up through his cauterized wound and sprayed on her face. No, this was just a nightmare.

He looked up into her eyes and sputtered through bloody lips. "Bastila…I…I'll always…love you." His bright eyes began to grow dark.

Bastila shrieked again and tore her fingers into her scalp. "No! No, Kyle, it'll be alright. Kyle!"

But her words fell of dead ears.

The Jedi fell to her knees and pounded the cold, stone floor. Her voice was inhuman, feral. When her hands were bloody and raw, she reached with quivering, hopeless hands for the lightsaber and put the emitter in her mouth. She couldn't live any longer. She had slain the only man she ever loved. She would now cheat cruel destiny of its final joke on her.

Before she could power the lightsaber, a bolt of lightning struck her and she jiggled under its fury. Her limbs frozen in agony, only a silent scream came from her lips. The Jedi rolled over, dazed and helpless as Malak entered. Bastila reached weakly for the lightsaber, but Malak picked it up as if it were a discarded toy.

Bastila's sobs came in uneven, ragged breaths. "Kill me, Malak…kill me."

The Dark Lord touched her gently on the cheek, caressing her. "My poor friend, so much pain…so much despair. I cannot kill you. There is so much more for you to do…my fallen angel…my apprentice."


	11. Fire

W/N - This ends the book and we'll be starting the finale. We went a bit crazy and there will be three alternate endings - one bad, one glad, and one dark. We wanted to look at the bigger picture of the war too and then bring it back to the crew. Thank you so much again, Jen. You've really been inspiring us.

**Fire**

_The children born of thee are sword and fire,  
__Guinevere - Alfred, Lord Tennyson_

**The Selvaris System - The Republic Naval Ship, _Sovereign of Freesia_ – 1937 hrs**

At the outer edge of a Republic world, a Sith _Interdictor-Class_ cruiser tumbled slowly, end over end, an orange glow emanating from numerous gaping holes in its hull. Parts of several smaller vessels crashed into the hulk as it drifted along, sure signs of a fierce battle.

Aboard the newest flagship of the Republic Fleet, Vice Admiral Forn Dodonna breathed a sigh of relief. Dabbing perspiration from her brow beneath her flame-red hair, she straightened her prim gray uniform. Signs of the immense stress that she had endured were apparent in her damp tunic. The admiral pointed to the ship's Operations Officer, Commander Secura. "Go to Yellow Alert; the Sith have fled." They had stopped the enemy again.

The dim red lights on the bridge brightened to a warm white glow. Exhausted bridge officers turned and saluted their leader – a leader who had fought against incredible odds and had stopped the Sith. Vice Admiral Dodonna had secured a promotion after her victory at Thyferra and was given a Theater Command, surprising in the politically-driven Republic. Forn had fought the system time and again to the chagrin of her stodgy superiors, but she got results.

The exultation of the crew was short lived, however, as the Operations Officer pointed to the Galactic Map, displayed as a blue-green hologram. In the Dorin System, angry red dots flashed where other Sith fleets clashed with the Republic. Vast fields of red crashed down upon blue dots, representing friendly forces. The hordes of Sith vessels broke through the Republic center and many blue dots faded and vanished. Admiral Dodonna's jaw tightened. Their victory might be for nothing if the Dorin System fell.

"Admiral, the Commander of Task Force Twenty Nine on a priority channel," voiced Lieutenant Oyaya, the Communications Officer. Forn turned to receive the message. She knew the commander of TF-29 was worthless. He was a political sycophant who had led the Republic Fleet to disaster against the Mandalorians and he likely led many brave men and women to their doom now. But he had great hair and that seemed to be one of the main prerequisites for a command in the political climate of the Republic.

The hologram of a sooty Admiral Deritz appeared. His eyes were wild, full of unbridled panic. "Admiral Dodonna-" he began and then ducked as if avoiding something. "We are cut off! I need _immediate_ assistance. My ship…my ship's main reactor is offline. The Sith are moving in behind us…starfighters attacking our flanks. I need immediate-"

The hologram blurred and then disappeared in a harsh buzz of static.

Admiral Deritz' fleet has been obliterated," voiced Commander Secura bluntly. The Twi'lek woman could not afford to show any emotion at this junction. The admiral sighed at the grim news. The loss of Deritz would actually help the Republic, but he took thirty ships with him. That might be about 60,000 souls. They probably died fulfilling useless administrative functions such as redoing inventories or filing meaningless requests. Supreme Chancellor Locarno had set the tone in the fleet that results in battle were irrelevant, administrative purity was everything. But who was she to question the wisdom of the Supreme Chancellor? She would do her part to actually fight the war where she could, nonsense be damned.

Forn studied the map carefully and then furrowed her brows. The Sith had now penetrated further than any previous threat ever could. Deritz' incompetence left the back door wide open. "Malak's forces are now poised like a dagger at the heart of the Republic; he will soon be on Coruscant."

Reality sunk into the tired crew – the war would be lost.

Lieutenant Oyaya, then turned and put a hand to his ear. "Admiral, priority message coming in on the Alpha Prime Channel." This was a frequency reserved for the Republic's National Command Authority. Forn grimaced – it was likely the Supreme Chancellor ready to shriek at her for not reporting in hourly. Didn't he have a clue that needless communication could be intercepted and exploited by the enemy? He threatened to can her when she implemented radio silence during strategic maneuvering. She was really beginning to hate the sound of his voice, but she couldn't ignore the most powerful man in the Republic for long. Looking at the map though, there wouldn't be a Republic for much longer.

The holographic image of a middle-aged man in a green Republic uniform appeared. His hair was salt and pepper gray as was his bushy mustache. Forn narrowed her eyes – this wasn't the Supreme Chancellor. A military man had no business on this channel. Something was up. "Admiral Dodonna," the man said, "this is General Phaleron, panic has gripped Coruscant with the news of Malak's victory at Dorin. His next offensive is likely to be on the Core Worlds. I wish I could give you greater laurels in the wake of your recent triumph, but it would likely be in vain."

The admiral nodded with his words, still wondering what was going on. "General, my fleet is near full strength and I am in a position to intercept any thrust against Coruscant. We must stop Malak before he can reorganize and resupply…. General, I am curious, why isn't the civilian command authority delivering this briefing per established protocol?" she asked, referring to the Supreme Chancellor's directive that his civilian representative interface with all Theater Commanders.

General Phaleron frowned. She could see in her eyes that things were bad. "Forn, it gets even worse…Supreme Chancellor Locarno has abdicated and has fled with his cabinet. Personally, I say good riddance, but he has left chaos in his wake. I have had to institute martial law to quell rioting. In essence, _I_ am the central authority for the Republic until a civilian government is reestablished."

Forn's eyes shot open. This was shocking. "You mean the Republic no longer exists?" The end had come far sooner than she had expected.

"For all intents and purposes, no, it does not. We are under military rule," advised the General with extreme displeasure. Phaleron was a good man and a professional soldier and he swore his life to the ideals of the Republic in spite of the fact that the reality of the government often fell short. "Forn, I don't like it any more than you do, but unless Malak is stopped once and for all, there will be nothing left for us to piece together for a new Republic."

Admiral Dodonna's face became grim. What was he planning? Shouldn't the biggest threat be stopped? "Jovan, do you _want_ me to intercept Malak's fleet? How much time do we have?"

He shook her off. What madness had gripped him? Coruscant would surely fall now. "Negative, Admiral, it would be of little use; his ability to replace losses is staggering and your sacrifice would be for nothing. I have been briefed in on a wild scheme devised by the Jedi Council and have been asked to support it. Please stand by for Senator Orrin Dakar of Deralia…. Admiral, good luck." His hologram faded and Forn maintained a cool disposition. If anyone could be trusted, it was Jovan Phaleron – he was a solid strategist who had also snuck up the ranks on merit. His action against the Mandalorians on Dxun after the disaster of the initial landings was text book.

Then, a distinguished gentleman in silk robes appeared in another hologram. His dark hair was slicked back in a perfect, aristocratic style, accentuating his noble bearing. He was likely another political animal, self serving and fawning, but if Jovan asked her to give him a chance, she would.

"Admiral Dodonna, I am a close friend and ally of Jedi Master Vandar Tokare. He will be awaiting you at these coordinates," the Senator advised as he transmitted the data. "Please rendezvous with him and he will explain all."

Forn read the data as it arrived and guessed its meaning from her last conversation with the diminutive Jedi. "We are to assault the Star Forge?" The most important and covert mission in the Republic had just been assigned to her. For a moment, she felt proud, but then remembered what happed to the _Endar Spire_.

Senator Dakar nodded. "Admiral Dodonna, I have sacrificed much in the defense of the Republic. Please do not fail. May the Force be with you."

The admiral settled back into her seat as the holograms faded. This would be huge. They would have to get to the Star Forge before the Sith Fleet got to Coruscant or all would be lost. It would be a race that would decide the fate of the galaxy. She thought on Senator Dakar's words and wondered about what he had sacrificed.

The Navigator entered the coordinates and the fleet jumped to hyperspace. Forn sat pensively as she reflected upon what had happened - never before had a Supreme Chancellor abdicated and fled, leaving the Republic without a functioning government. She knew that there would be chaos in the Core Worlds. The fabric of their civilization would unravel.

She pondered in silence for a time until Lieutenant Oyaya spoke, "Admiral, we're receiving a secure transmission…the protocols and transponder codes check out. It's the Jedi."

"Bring them aboard."

**The Briefing Room – 0032 hrs the Next Day**

Admiral Dodonna sat as Master Vandar strode in on his tiny legs. He was followed by three other Jedi Masters, along with a gray Twi'lek and a young man. The newcomers sat amid the fleet's senior officers. In the corner of the room stood a petite blonde intelligence officer, Niki Helos, who had joined the admiral's G-2 or intelligence section. In an irony of ironies, she had filled the billet left open by the death of the traitorous Commander Ergot.

Master Vandar stood on the table and addressed the gathering. "We have been sent as representatives of the High Council to assist in, what we hope to be, the final struggle. With me are Jedi Masters Kavar, Vash, and Zez-Kai El, in addition to a hundred Jedi in an assault force. We have received news, both hopeful and disturbing from these individuals who were on Korriban," he announced as he pointed to Yuthura Ban and Dustil Onasi.

Yuthura turned to Admiral Dodonna. "Revan lives-" she began before horrified gasps sounded throughout the room.

Forn's blood ran cold. The admiral shot to her feet and looked sternly at Master Vandar. "What?" What madness had the Jedi gotten them into this time?

The tiny master pushed the palms of his hands downward to calm the belligerent crowd. He briefly summarized Revan's capture and new persona. "I am unaware of how she came to realize her true identity, but from what we know, she has remained true to the light."

Admiral Dodonna shook her head in horror. This was insane. Had all of the Jedi lost their wits? "Master Vandar, you are playing with fire."

Vandar nodded reluctantly. "It is as you say, but we have _no_ choice. Yuthura, please continue."

The Twi'lek inhaled. "Yes, there is more," she added in her low, husky voice. "After we slew Master Uthar Wynn, I attacked her and she could have easily killed me. Instead, she spared me and brought me back to the light. Revan _redeemed_ me," she said, her hands steepled as if praying.

Dustil nodded. "She could have just let me follow the Sith blindly, but she and Juhani gave me proof of the lies that the Sith had told me and how they had killed my friends. You _must_ believe that Revan has been redeemed…you _mus_t," he urged, his support for Revan now as powerful as it had been for the Sith, such was her charisma…and Dustil's naivety.

Forn pondered their words for a moment, noticing the near slavish devotion that was being given to this shiny new Revan; she had seen it all before…men, who would kill and die at her command; worlds that would bow at her feet; fleets that would betray all that they held dear for the sound of her voice. The admiral imagined a very familiar road, but did not drive this vehicle today; it was out of her hands. She would hear the whole story before making judgment. "So, what of the Star Forge?"

Yuthura smiled. "Revan told _me_ that she knows its location. She will transmit it once it is confirmed."

The admiral sighed as she saw the blind love in Yuthura's eyes at the mention of Revan's name…the same look that a billion traitors to the Republic had displayed. It would happen all over again. Forn looked to Master Vandar. What could she do? Coruscant mandated this course of action. "So, what do we do until then?"

"We wait."

**The Star Forge – Malak's Command Center**

The Dark Lord of the Sith observed the holographic map of the galaxy with his trusted followers, Sion and Moritz, by his side. Off in a dark corner stood Darth Nihilus, contemplating the intricacies of the Dark Side. The sinister Sith lord was clad in a long, black robe with a white and crimson mask. His frame was skeletally thin, prompting comments from his cohorts.

"Is Nihilus losing a lot of weight?" asked the droidlike Moritz, her blue robotic eye cast in his direction. "I think he's losing a lot of weight."

"Well, he's always eating," answered Sion blandly. "Always says he's hungry."

"Enough," chastised Malak, annoyed at the meaningless chatter. "We must focus on the conquest of the galaxy; the way to Coruscant is open." He then turned and drummed his fingers on the metal ring about his face. "I am still worried, however, that we did not find Revan on Bastion." Had she fooled him again? Even from beyond the 'grave' she could get the better of him.

"She was always very tricky," voiced Sion. "We should be prepared for anything concerning her."

Moritz frowned, crinkling the gray skin around the metallic parts of her face. "Lord Malak, you should also be aware of the fact that Revan's return has become known throughout the fleet; there are rumblings among much of the troops about their loyalty to her."

Moritz always did a good job, ferreting out tidbits of information from his minions, but talk of mutiny was unacceptable. He knew that there were whispers of how he had failed to kill the new Revan and that she would exact her revenge on him, carving him slowly into little pieces for her pleasure. Malak slammed a closed fist into an open palm. "I _knew_ her redemption speech was all an act; Revan intends to reclaim her title as Dark Lord of the Sith. She cannot ignore her own power…can never put aside the mantle of galactic dominion." He knew that Revan would come for him soon and the duel would be epic.

The commlink chimed and Admiral Dessler appeared as a hologram. "M'Lord, I have grave news: A Republic fleet withstood our attack in the Selvaris System and is now striking our supply lines. Also-"

Malak cut him off. This was old news. "I am already aware of that. Do not fret about Admiral Dodonna, she has remained static instead of moving to intercept our pending invasion of Coruscant. Her indecisiveness is showing and she will be too late to prevent the fall of the Republic." Nothing stood in his way, nothing…except Revan.

Dessler bowed. "Very good, M'Lord. Also, I have received news that Revan has conquered Korriban."

This was something that Malak did not know. There were gasps in the room and a palpable nervousness filled the air. For the first time in a long time, fear gripped the Sith. The Dark Lord's eyes widened and he pondered for several moments. "So Revan, it begins again. Twice now you have slipped through my grasp…there will not be a third. Admiral Dessler, take part of the fleet and return Korriban to our fold."

"Yes M'Lord."

Malak turned back to his lords. "Sion, Nihilus, go with the fleet to Korriban. Be on your guard, you know of Revan's power."

As Sion and Nihilus departed, Malak contemplated the galaxy once again. "I _will_ bring down the Republic and Revan _will_ be subdued," he stated, attempting to bolster his own confidence.

Beside her master, Moritz thought back on their days of glory and how Revan had outmaneuvered and outfought every adversary she had faced. "We are playing with fire," she whispered to herself.

Down the corridor to the hangar bays, Sion and Nihilus walked beside transparisteel windows overlooking the forge, where starfighters and vessels of various sizes were being created with inhuman rapidity. As the two Sith lords strode to their newly forged ship, crewmen came to attention and bowed.

Nihilus approached one trooper, who was holding a plate full of poultry and pointed a long, skeletal finger at the meal. "You gonna eat that?" the Sith lord asked in a ghostly voice. As the trooper's knees buckled and he collapsed in fear, Nihilus plucked the poultry from the plate.

**Korriban – The Czerka Office**

The corporate headquarters on Korriban had been converted into a makeshift hospital for those wounded in the battle. Sith and rebel alike lay on stretchers, attended to by medical droids. Kneeling among the injured, Aerin called upon the Force and healing energy swirled among them. Taking care of the men was something she had to do for those who sacrificed and fought under her banner. Even the enemy received her mercy. Aerin knew that was what Revan would do.

The cacophony of groans that had filled the room faded and some of the men began to stir. Aerin stood and walked among them, taking their hands and giving words of encouragement. A Sith officer, lying bloody in a cot, sat up and felt his healing wounds. "Revan, I am with you. Lead us to victory."

This made her smile and she could see all eyes upon her. The Jedi reached out and touched his shoulder. She then looked around the room, making eye contact with any who would face her. "You were once my soldiers. Resume your places by my side and bring order to the galaxy."

One by one, the injured stood and saluted her. This was a great day. This was her destiny.

**Korriban - the Dreshdae Cantina**

Canderous sat in a corner of the quiet cantina under dim lights, drinking a dark beverage as smoke from a cigara coiled around his head. Pensively, he scratched the stubble on his chin, a dark frown on his face.

Aerin walked in and ordered her own brand of poison from the Rodian, Mika Dorin. As he respectfully slid her a bottle of Alderaanian wine, she gestured toward Canderous. "What's wrong with him? I heard he emerged victorious in a duel."

Mika shrugged, pursing the lips of his long, flexible mouth. "Mandalorians…who knows? He was fine yesterday." He then bowed to her. "Revan, you have brought us triumph again. You healed our wounded. We will await your commands."

Aerin touched him on the shoulder. "I am inspired by your loyalty Mika. I intend to destroy Malak's power and save the Republic. Will you join me?"

The Rodian nodded with glee. "I will follow you anywhere, Revan." The devoted look in his eyes gave her a charge. Revan may have failed before, but Aerin would now succeed in bringing about the New Order.

"Good, take your people and the Sith who have joined us and travel to these coordinates. Remain hidden and await my instructions. When you hear from me, strike hard and fast." Somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew what Malak would do. His ego would not be able to bear the affront of having lost Korriban to her. He would send a large portion of his fleet here, probably led by that brute, Sion, and retake the planet. Only, no one would be here. Malak would waste valuable time and resources.

Mika bowed and withdrew to gather his men. He would help them assault the Star Forge. Picking up her glass and the bottle, Aerin sauntered over to Canderous. She took the adjacent stool and plucked the Mandalorian's cigara from his fingers as he brought it to his lips.

He smirked without looking at her. "Yeah, whaddya want?"

She let out an uncharacteristically girlish giggle as she took a puff. Her mirth was cut short as her face burned bright red and she coughed furiously. This cigara was downright vile. How could he smoke this stuff?

Now, it was Canderous' turn to laugh. "Can't handle a little smoke, eh?"

When she was done coughing and laughing, Aerin looked deep into the mercenary's eyes. In Mandalorian she said, "Mika and Ergeron told me of your victory. We should rejoice, brave warrior." Aerin's knowledge of Mandalorian culture was returning. Revan knew their hearts and minds inside out.

He grunted slowly, but a faint smile crossed his lips – a smile tinged with both pride and bitterness. "Jagi and I were clan brothers. I trained him for his manhood trials. Mandalorians have no real term for this type of relationship, but your closest equivalent would be that we were…friends."

He gulped down his drink. Aerin knew enough to remain silent and the mercenary took a deep breath and continued, "Jagi questioned my judgment regarding my command at the Battle of Althir. I sent his wing to secure the flank of the enemy. As he began his assault, the Althirans shifted their forces to meet him and their center was exposed. I seized the initiative…. Jagi's wing was decimated. I did not see him again until yesterday."

Then, like a volcanic eruption, Canderous struck his fist on the table, toppling the glasses. "It was _war_! What did he expect? Revan," he said, turning to her, "you understand we Mandalorians like no other outsider. I respect you…. I will follow you to the end…to the poisonous wastes of Malachor Five if I have to, but right now, leave me be. I need some time to think."

Aerin maintained eye contact for a second and nodded. The fire in his eyes burned fiercely. Warrior to warrior, they understood each other and without a word, she departed.

**In Dresdae**

Deep in thought, the Jedi walked toward the exit. Canderous had given her some pause, but she knew that it was his way of processing the event. He had slain a close friend in individual combat and he would never show that it hurt him deeply. Such was the way of Mandalore. To him, Jagi had to be only one more kill…one more victory. Part of her wanted to embrace Canderous, but this was unacceptable. No Mandalorian warrior would accept such a gesture and he would think less of her for offering. Unlike she and Juhani, she would never see tears from this man. She was starting to feel the effects of so much wine and her body tingled. Through a window, she could see a large sign nailed over the entrance to the Sith Academy: 'Closed for Renovation. Under New Management.'

She laughed out loud, a somewhat bitter, sarcastic laugh. Dustil Onasi had thought that one up, showing his father's same flair for sardonic humor. As she turned to go, Dak Vesser, the former Sith archaeologist, approached. "Admiral Revan," he said humbly, "Your friend Juhani…she saved me. I would have been killed if she hadn't convinced me to leave the Sith. I am going to join Mika Dorin's fleet. I have to make it up to her."

Aerin studied him for a moment and saw that his heart was true if somewhat misguided. "We could use the help. Welcome aboard."

The remainder of the day was spent preparing the _Ebon Hawk_ for departure. Mika filled their stocks of food and fuel and gave Aerin a powerful pair of gauntlets. In return, Aerin gave him a crate of valuable, fiery spices that had been hidden on board the _Hawk_ by Davik Kang.

At the spaceport, Aerin approached the _Hawk_ and glanced up at the battered old ship. She slid her hand lovingly along its gray metal hull. "Let us brave the fire once more, old friend." As rickety and beat up as this ship was, it was home. She had come to know every sound, every corner, and every space aboard her. She thought about the hidden spaces that she had discovered for her rendezvous with Carth. It seemed like a lifetime ago now. She closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around her body.

Then, Mekel and Lashowe approached her and bowed, getting her attention. "Master, everything is prepared," they sang in unison. "Jordo has the engines in top shape and we are ready for departure."

Aerin noticed the slavish devotion they had developed toward her, but made no attempt to dissuade them. They boarded the ship and the Jedi took her place in the copilot's seat. From the left seat, Carth looked over and gave Aerin an awkward smile, seemingly unsure of the status of their relationship. The Padawan returned the smile and extended her hand to him. He took it in silence as Mission entered the coordinates to the Star Forge. It was a start. Maybe they would never be lovers again, but they could at least be friends. Maybe, but this was not what she wanted.

**The _Ebon Hawk_ – Deep Space**

The captain was starting to get sleepy as the cockpit was so quiet. The thrum of the hyperspace drive faded in the back of his head as he started to doze. It was the night cycle for the speedy vessel and the interior lights were dim, adding to the drowsy effect. Canderous and Zaalbar entered the cockpit for the shift change. None too son. He'd have fallen asleep otherwise. Carth and Aerin stood and Mission leapt into the right seat.

"Mission, you should take a break," offered Carth. He knew the young lady was tired.

"No sir, I'm fine. I need more experience," the young Twi'lek countered resolutely. She was really making him proud and he began to think of her as a surrogate daughter. She would soon go to the Republic Naval Academy and become a cadet. Once, she actually said that she wanted to follow in his and Aerin's footsteps. She was no longer the lost, surly teen on Taris – a sense of maturity had come over her.

Then, there was Dustil. Never would he have thought things would have ended so well. Only in his most self-indulgent day dreams would Dustil have embraced him and called him 'father.' But, it had come to pass.

They had talked long into the night after the battle, bathed in the glow of the burning Sith vehicle. He told Dustil, explained to him, everything that had happened. How the Sith had attacked, how Morgana had died, how he tried everything to find Dustil until the poisonous fumes overtook the area. "I wanted to die with your mother," he told his son, "but Dol and Jordo dragged me off, screaming your name. I know now, it was for the best that I lived…so that I could be here to see you."

In that hard moment, Dustil's eyes softened and he wept at hearing how his mother had died and how this man sitting next to him was not the evil man he thought he was. Unlike the bitter tears that usually came on Korriban, Dustil's tears were clean and cleansing. The boy buried his face in his father's chest. "Father," he said, "father."

Carth choked up, remembering that moment and knew that Revan, his hated enemy, helped bring their reunion about. With a sigh, Carth patted Mission on the shoulder as Canderous took the left seat and Z sat at the Navigation Console. Mission looked back at the Wookiee and winked.

Aerin led Carth back past the center room toward the engineering bay. HK was shut down and T3 wheeled about, inserting his data probe into various ports. Absentmindedly, he just followed her. There was nothing between them that would make a difference now anyway.

She seemed to be going to the medical bay. Neither of them had any remaining injury. Perhaps she had a stash of liquor so that she could get drunk again. He paused. "Aerin, where are we going?" He refused to use that other name. That name could stay buried for all eternity.

She turned to face him with that mischievous look in her eyes. He had not seen that look for weeks, but he knew it so well. She tapped the control to the med bay door and it slid open, revealing an empty bed. Carth wasn't Force sensitive, but he knew what was coming. His breath quickened and he fought for clarity. This is a terrible idea.

Aerin smirked as she pushed him into the room, closing the door. Her touch on his chest was electric and a fire burned in him as she glided her fingers up his neck to his lips. He knew that touch and he gasped and all resistance vanished. She slid off her robes and guided him to the bed. He looked into her gray eyes and then down her body, her smooth, lustrous skin shining in the dim light. His throat tightened and he gulped hard. She pulled him into an embrace and it was like the warmth of a sun filling him with uncontrollable fire.

Carth nuzzled her deep, rich hair and inhaled deeply, his nostrils filling with the seductive scent of Freesian Lavender. "You've changed your perfume," he commented in a whisper. She had always favored Deralian Jasmine.

"Does it matter?"

He shook his head. Nothing mattered at the moment. As they reclined, he fought to control himself, but it was impossible; he was caught in the flames of destiny, which would consume him entirely. As he looked down into her soft eyes and planted kisses on her red lips, he only knew one thing.

_I am playing with fire._


End file.
